‘Captain’s End’: Harmanpreet Kaur’s Top Five Achievements as India Captain

NEW DELHI: Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to step down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team in all three formats marks the end of one of the longest and most distinguished eras of leadership in Indian women’s cricket.The 37-year-old, who led India’s T20I team for a decade after taking charge in 2016, will become ODI captain in 2022 before taking charge across formats in 2023. On Tuesday, she announced that she was ready to move on from management and return to playing simply “for the love of the game”.“The captain ends. The journey continues,” Harmanpreet wrote in her farewell statement.Her tenure was defined by notable victories, records and moments that helped shape the modern era of Indian women’s cricket.From winning the ODI World Cup final to establishing herself as the most successful female captain in T20I history, Harmanpreet leaves behind a remarkable leadership legacy.Here are the top five achievements of Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy.

1. Guiding India to its first Women’s ODI World Cup title

Arguably, the biggest achievement of Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy was India’s historic triumph in the Women’s ODI World Cup in November 2025.For decades, the ODI World Cup title remained one of the biggest missing pieces in Indian women’s cricket. India had come agonizingly close before, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017, but the team trophy continued to elude them.That changed under Harmanpreet.She led India on home soil and oversaw a campaign that eventually brought the country its first ever Women’s ODI World Cup title. The achievement was of immense significance not only for Harmanpreet personally but also for the growth and visibility of women’s cricket in India.

Harmanpreet Kaur with the World Cup title

The triumph represented the culmination of years of progress. India has developed into a consistent force in international cricket, producing a generation of players capable of competing with the world’s best. Harmanpreet’s leadership has been central to this transition.Winning the World Cup as a captain is the defining achievement of any international cricketer. It made this moment with the Indian women’s team even more meaningful for Harmanpreet.The title also ensured that her captaincy legacy would be remembered beyond individual records. She became the leader who helped India clear the final hurdle and turn years of promise into a World Cup.

2. Guiding India to Asian Games gold medals

Another notable achievement of Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy was leading India to back-to-back Asian Games gold medals, reinforcing the team’s dominance in the T20 format on the continental stage.India won the women’s cricket gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where cricket returned to the Games after a long absence. Harmanpreet’s side won the T20 competition to secure India’s first ever Asian Games gold in women’s cricket.

Nagoya: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (right) and Gunalan Kamalini pose for photographs with their gold medals after winning the final women’s T20I cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

India then successfully defended their title at the 2026 Asian Games and once again topped the women’s T20 competition. The back-to-back triumphs underlined the consistency of the Harmanpreet-led Indian team, adding another pair of major medals to her captaincy resume.Winning one gold from the Asian Games was a landmark achievement. A repeat of this feat four years later saw India establish itself as a dominant force in the continental competition.

3. Winning four Asian Cup titles

Another defining feature of Harmanpreet’s captaincy was India’s dominance in the continental game.Under her leadership, India secured four Asia Cup titles in 2012, 2016, 2022 and 2026, making Harmanpreet the Indian captain with the most Asia Cup triumphs.The Asia Cup has traditionally been an important tournament for women’s cricket in the region, providing teams with the opportunity to test themselves against established opponents while also developing younger players.For India, success in the competition reflected the team’s enduring strength.

Harmanpreet Kaur with the Asia Cup trophy

Harmanpreet’s four titles also demonstrate the longevity of her leadership. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that her successful campaigns spanned more than a decade. Different teams, different opponents and different generations of Indian players have come and gone, but Harmanpreet has remained a constant presence.This achievement saw her surpass Mithali Raj to claim the most Asia Cup titles by an Indian captain.This puts Harmanpreet in distinguished company. Mithali has been one of the central figures in Indian women’s cricket for more than two decades, and her succession in the record books is a significant indicator of Harmanpreet’s own influence.The 2026 title was particularly important as it came to the end of her captaincy tenure and provided another continental trophy to close one of the most successful leadership chapters in Indian women’s cricket.

4. Dominating T20I cricket and setting historic leadership milestones

Harmanpreet Kaur’s impact has perhaps been most pronounced in T20I cricket, where she spent a decade at the helm after taking over as India’s captain in 2016. Her remarkable longevity not only made her one of the longest-serving leaders in women’s international cricket, but also set several all-time records.One of her biggest achievements came when she surpassed Australia’s Meg Lanning to become the captain with the most wins in Women’s T20 Internationals. The record reflects the consistency and longevity of Harmanpreet’s leadership at a time when the shortest format was undergoing rapid growth worldwide.

Birmingham: Indian cricket (W) team captain Harmanpreet Kaur after winning the women’s T20 cricket preliminary round against Pakistan at Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham, UK. (PTI Photo/R Senthil Kumar)(

Her T20I tenure also brought another extraordinary milestone. Harmanpreet became the first female cricketer in history to captain a team in 150 T20I matches, underlining the remarkable length of her leadership career.Achieving this milestone required much more than holding the captaincy. It reflected the consistent selection, fitness, performance and above all the trust of teammates and coaches over many years. During her tenure, women’s cricket has seen the rise of franchise leagues, increasingly demanding international schedules and major tactical developments in T20 cricket.

5. Leading India to a historic Test win at Lord’s

While Harmanpreet’s greatest achievements have largely come in limited-overs cricket, one of her most memorable leadership moments has come in the longest format.She led India to a dominant 270-run victory over England at Lord’s in the first women’s Test match played at the historic London venue.Lord’s is one of the most famous grounds in world cricket and playing there is of immense importance regardless of the format. The occasion was historic in itself for the women’s game.India’s victory made the event even more memorable.

Harmanpreet Kaur wants more Test matches after historic win at Lord’s (Reuters photo)

A Test match makes very different demands on a captain compared to T20 cricket. Leaders have to manage training sessions rather than individual matches, balancing workloads over several days and constantly assessing pitch conditions, pitch positions and bowling changes.Harmanpreet’s ability to lead India to a comprehensive victory proved her adaptability as a leader.The 270-run difference also highlighted India’s dominance during the match. It wasn’t just a narrow escape or a hard-fought result; it was an impressive performance at one of cricket’s most famous venues.For Harmanpreet, this achievement added another dimension to her captaincy record.

A legacy that goes beyond numbers

Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to retire ends an era, but her contribution to Indian women’s cricket will go far beyond captaincy statistics.She led India through a period of tremendous change, from the rapid growth of T20 cricket to the expansion of women’s franchise leagues and finally the breakthrough World Cup triumph.Her five outstanding achievements, the 2025 ODI World Cup, a record T20I captaincy win, four Asia Cup titles, the 150-match milestone in charge and a historic Lord’s Test win sum up the scope of her tenure.Still, perhaps the most telling part of her farewell was her belief that the team was now “in a good place”.Harmanpreet is stepping down from the leadership role but not from the game. As she stated, she is now ready to play again for the love of cricket.The captaincy may be over. However, the journey continues.