Harmanpreet is optimistic about overcoming challenges in the upcoming World Cup at home
Harmanpreet is optimistic about overcoming challenges in the upcoming World Cup at home
The captain of the Indian women's T20 team, Harmanpreet Kaur, believes the ODI World Cup at home will be an advantage for the team. India finished the World Cup Campaign at No. 5 in 2022.
Winning the World Cup has always felt just within reach yet out of grasp for the Indian women’s cricket team, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur knows how tough that final hurdle is. With the countdown to the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 officially underway in Mumbai, she expressed hope that this time, playing in front of home fans will help the team go all the way.
“Playing at home is always special,” Harmanpreet said at the launch event. “We’ll give it our all and hopefully break the barrier that Indian fans have been waiting for.”
India has come close before finishing second in 2005, third in 2009, seventh in 2013, and heartbreakingly losing the final to England in 2017. Harmanpreet, who scored a stunning 171 in the 2017 semifinal against Australia, recalled how that moment changed her life. “I didn’t realise how big it was until we returned home and saw the crowd cheering for us. That was unforgettable.”
The countdown event was inaugurated by ICC Chairman Jay Shah and featured a panel discussion with Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta. Shah said the World Cup presents a huge opportunity to grow women’s cricket and praised the insights shared by current and former players. “Bringing the Women’s World Cup back to India is a landmark moment. It will help raise the game’s global profile even more,” he said.
The tournament will run from September 30 to November 2 and will be hosted across five cities in India and Sri Lanka. Matches are scheduled in Vizag, Indore, Guwahati, Colombo, and Bengaluru. However, there’s still some uncertainty around Bengaluru’s participation, as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is waiting for final approval.
If all goes as planned, Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium will host four matches, including the opening game between India and Sri Lanka and one of the semifinals. If Pakistan doesn’t qualify, which seems likely, Bengaluru is also set to host the final on November 2.