Harmanpreet Kaur eyes T20 World Cup glory; Confident Indian team ready after ODI triumph

These are heady days for Harmanpreet Kaur and she wants the momentum to last. Fresh from receiving the prestigious Padma Shri in New Delhi on Monday for leading India to their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title last year, the India skipper struck a confident tone ahead of the team’s T20I series opener against England in Chelmsford.


The three-match series serves as the buildup to the Women’s T20 World Cup in England, where Harmanpreet will feature in her 10th edition of the tournament and captain India for a fifth straight time. Yet, one piece remains missing from her decorated career, a T20 World Cup title.






At 37, Harmanpreet knows the stakes. And with the final set to be played at Lord’s, she admitted the prospect of lifting the trophy at the iconic venue would be the ultimate full-circle moment. “It would be a dream come true,” she said. “For any cricketer who debuted in England and then gets to win a World Cup here, you can’t ask for anything more.”


Her sentiments carry depth given where it all began for the iconic batter.


Harmanpreet made her T20I debut in England during the 2009 World Cup, a modest start that saw her score just eight runs as India slumped to a heavy 10-wicket defeat against the hosts at Taunton after limping to 112-8. Seventeen years on, both she and Indian women’s cricket have undergone a remarkable transformation.


The 2025 ODI World Cup triumph has changed the team’s mindset, she believes. “That win gave us belief. We now know how to handle pressure and close out big games. That confidence will definitely help us in the T20 World Cup,” Harmanpreet said.


India begin their campaign on June 14 against Pakistan in Birmingham. The ongoing England series, Harmanpreet stressed, will be crucial in fine-tuning combinations and adapting to conditions.
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