Harmanpreet Kaur: The captain who changed how India’s women played cricket

What the report says

Al Jazeera published a profile of Harmanpreet Kaur on October 7, 2026, focusing on her nine-year spell as India’s women’s cricket captain and the broader impact of her leadership. The article says Kaur’s tenure was defined by repeated near-misses at major tournaments before India finally won its first Women’s Cricket World Cup in November 2025, beating Australia in the semifinal and South Africa in the final on home soil.

The report traces how Kaur helped reshape the team’s style and confidence. It highlights her aggressive batting and key performances, including her famous unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 ODI World Cup semifinal, India’s first Women’s T20 World Cup final in 2020, and the team’s rise in T20 cricket under her guidance. Al Jazeera also notes that she became India’s full-time captain in 2016 and later led the side across formats after Mithali Raj retired in 2022.

According to the article, Kaur stepped down as all-format captain on October 6, 2026, after talks with senior team figures and the Indian cricket board. Smriti Mandhana, previously her deputy, was named as her successor. Kaur said she would continue playing international cricket. The piece places her exit in the context of a period that saw India win major titles and change its approach to women’s cricket, with greater emphasis on power, fitness and self-belief.