Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur to receive Padma Shri for sporting excellence

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket stalwarts former men's team skipper Rohit Sharma and current women's ODI World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar will be conferred with the Padma Shri in the field of Sports, a recognition of their immense contribution to Indian cricket across formats and generations.

Rohit Sharma’s honour comes on the back of a remarkable leadership phase with the Indian men’s cricket team. He guided India to two ICC titles, lifting the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in 2025. Shortly after winning the T20 World Cup, Rohit retired from the shortest format, bringing down the curtain on a glittering T20I career. He later stepped away from Test cricket in 2025 and now features exclusively in ODIs.



Across international cricket, Rohit has amassed 20,109 runs, scoring 50 centuries and 111 half-centuries, numbers that underline his longevity and impact at the highest level. From a free-flowing opener to a World Cup-winning captain, Rohit’s journey has been defined by evolution and consistency.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s Padma Shri recognition follows one of the most iconic moments in Indian women’s cricket history. She became the first Indian captain to lift an ICC Women’s World Cup after India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Defending a target of 299, India produced a dominant bowling performance. Deepti Sharma starred with a five-wicket haul, while Shafali Verma’s all-round contribution played a key role as South Africa were bowled out for 246 in 45.3 overs. The victory sealed India’s maiden Women’s World Cup title on home soil.

With this triumph, Harmanpreet also became only the second Indian captain to win a World Cup at home. MS Dhoni was the first to achieve the feat when he led the men’s team to the 2011 World Cup title at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Padma Shri honour for Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur stands as recognition of leadership, legacy, and moments that reshaped Indian cricket history.


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