Indian women’s cricket has entered a defining chapter—one built on belief, resilience, and long-awaited glory. Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership in Navi Mumbai earlier this month delivered India’s first Women’s ODI World Cup title, placing her alongside Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni as the only Indian captains to lift an ODI World Cup.
Her achievement reflects decades of groundwork laid by earlier women’s captains, yet it also carries a familiar emotional undertone—the same national hope that surrounded Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup triumph at home.
During an interaction at the Velammal Nexus School in Chennai, Harmanpreet was asked to pick her favourite cricketer between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Before answering, she acknowledged, “It is a tough question,” and then gave a decisive answer that delighted the crowd in Dhoni’s adopted home, “Dhoni.”
Later, she found herself in another fun comparison. When asked, “MS Dhoni or Smriti (Mandhana),” she didn’t even hesitate before she said, “Smriti.”
A second question followed, “Smriti or Mithali (Raj),” and she replied with the same simplicity and smile, “Smriti.”
Harmanpreet’s admiration came on the back of a spectacular tournament from her vice-captain. Smriti Mandhana was one of India’s pillars in the championship run, scoring 434 runs from 9 innings, including the best of 109 against New Zealand. She finished second on the list of highest run-getters.
Her tally also broke an Indian record—surpassing Mithali Raj’s 409 runs from the 2017 World Cup, previously the highest by an Indian in a single edition.
Harmanpreet’s stature now comfortably stands beside Dhoni’s. She has been a trailblazer with both her leadership and her clutch performances. Her semifinal knock against Australia added yet another defining chapter to her career.
This was her fifth World Cup—16 years after her first—and the long journey finally yielded the one trophy she had chased for so long.
Her story mirrored Dhoni’s in another way. Just as Dhoni finished the 2011 final with an iconic six, Harmanpreet played a part in the finishing moment in Navi Mumbai by taking the catch to dismiss Nadine de Klerk, sealing India’s title-winning wicket.
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