It’s not every day you get to talk to India’s World Cup captain. I happened to be lucky enough to get a minute or so from the Indian women’s cricket team captain, recently Harmanpreet Kaur, in the midst of a packed media interaction where every second was contested.
Such actions are part of the job. You show up, wait your turn, and hope you get a worthwhile question. But when someone of Harmanpreet’s stature is in the room, the dynamic changes. There is a visible sense of urgency. Reporters from different organizations gather, each trying to get ahead, each hoping to get the first bite before the opportunity slips away.
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I tried to do the same. In the end, one minute was enough for me.
When it was my turn, the room was already feeling tired. Her manager tried to wrap it up. It was rumored to be the last interaction before she left for lunch. At one point someone even asked if food could be brought to the room. Harmanpreet herself admitted that she had not eaten for some time.
Still, she smiled, turning her attention forward and indicating that she was ready for the next question.
The moment, brief as it was, had its own pressure. I found out about the event barely a day before. There was little time to prepare and even less time to specify what I wanted to ask. In such situations instinct prevails. You go with what you feel is right and hope it works out.
In retrospect, maybe that wasn’t the most inventive question. I asked if India’s first Women’s World Cup ODI win could help break the mental barrier that has held the team back for years, and whether it could lead to a more dominant phase for the Women in Blue.
However, the answer was much clearer than the question.
“As captain, I really want to see our team win more titles. Earlier we came close but couldn’t cross that mark. Now we’ve experienced what it takes to win. It’s about maintaining that standard. We have a lot of games and tournaments ahead of us and hopefully bring home more trophies,” said Harmanpreet.
It was a straightforward answer, but one that marked a significant shift. For years, the Indian women’s team has been defined by how close it has been to it. They reached the final, showing signs of promise, but the final step was often out of reach. This story changed in Navi Mumbai on November 2, 2025.
What comes after is often harder.
Winning once can be a breakthrough. Maintaining this level requires a different mindset. Harmanpreet’s words reflected this transition. The emphasis is no longer on crossing the border, but on staying there.
This challenge will soon become sharper, with more the main test is the T20 Women’s World Cup in June 2026where India will look to build on their recent success.
The interaction itself took place on the sidelines of an event where a stand at the new Omaxe State cricket stadium in Dwarka is to be named after her. The venue, which is part of a 30,000 capacity project, will include a ‘Pink Stand’, a dedicated section designed with single women and families in mind, in an attempt to make matchday more accessible.
Omaxe MD Mohit Goel said the decision to name the stand after Harmanpreet was aimed at recognizing her journey as well as the wider growth of women’s sports in India, adding that the introduction of the pink stand was driven by the need to make the stadium premises more inclusive.
In many ways, the environment reflected the moment Indian women’s cricket finds itself in. Now there is recognition and there is momentum. But there is also expectation.
When the short interaction was over, Harmanpreet was quickly ushered away and finally headed to the lunch she was waiting for.
But the queue was delayed.
Hungry for more.
A while ago it was about something as simple as a missed meal. But there was a different weight to her answer. The team that has finally crossed the line is no longer content to just get there.
And for Harmanpreet Kaur, that hunger, on and off the field, may well define what comes next.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
26 March 2026 21:53 IST
