Women’s World Cup-winning Indian team loses Laureus glory Paris Saint-Germain clinched the prestigious Laureus World Team of the Year 2026 award at a ceremony held at the Cibeles Palace on Monday, April 20. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side earned wide acclaim. after his triumph last Novemberbut it wasn’t enough to secure the top prize.
The Indian team was nominated alongside elite contenders such as England Women’s National Football Team, European Ryder Cup Team, McLaren Formula 1 Team, Oklahoma City Thunder and PSG.
PSG’s triumph was built on a phenomenal 2025 season under coach Luis Enrique. The French giants have won six major titles, including a dominant 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final. They also completed a domestic treble – Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trophe des Champions – and added the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup to round off a historic campaign.
HOW INDIA WOMEN TRIUMPHED LAST YEAR
India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup campaign has been a real rollercoaster. They started strongly, recording convincing wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, with a mix of aggressive batting and disciplined bowling setting the tone. However, their momentum has faltered with three straight defeats against Australia, South Africa and England, exposing the gaps against top opposition.
A major blow followed when in-form Pratika Rawal, who had amassed 308 runs, was ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury, forcing a reshuffle when Shafali Verma came on. Despite the setbacks, India have shown remarkable resilience in the knockouts.
They staged a record-breaking chase against Australia in the semi-finals before sealing their maiden Women’s World Cup title with a 52-run win over South Africa in the final.
Shafali’s all-round brilliance and Deepti Sharma’s winning performance headlined a historic triumph that captured the national imagination.
The Indian women’s team is currently in South Africa for a five-match T20I series. After Sunday’s defeat by eight goals, they lead 0:2 in the series. India will next tour England for a three-match T20I series and a Test at Lord’s before turning their sights on the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup starting on June 12.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
21 Apr 2026 01:06 IST
