U20 Women’s World Cup: Harmanpreet jumps at reporter over retirement question

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur created a slightly heated moment ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup after she responded with an awkward smile to a question about her retirement during a media interaction. The veteran batsman, who will lead India in the next global tournament, attended the joint press conference of the captains ahead of the start of the competition.

India will begin their campaign with warm-up matches against the West Indies and England, aiming to end their long wait for the T20 World Cup title.

During the press conference, Harmanpreet was asked about her future in the game and whether she was thinking about retirement. The Indian captain replied with a wry smile before turning the question back to the reporter.

“Do you think I should stop?” Harmanpreet asked causing laughter in the room.

When the journalist clarified that he was just checking, Harmanpreet cheekily followed up, “Then why are you asking?” Her response drew more laughter from those in attendance and helped lighten the mood during the media session.

BEHIND THE SNAP

Apart from the witty exchange, Harmanpreet also reflected on the impact of India’s recent success and how it has contributed to the growth of women’s cricket at home. The Indian captain highlighted the surge in interest among young girls following the team’s success on the global stage.

“We saw it during last year’s World Cup when we won. We saw a huge change after that,” she said.

“A lot of girls are going to play cricket and I think when we’re doing well, a lot of things change and hopefully we’re playing our best cricket and trying to make an impact on women’s cricket.”

The upcoming tournament is expected to be one of the most competitive editions yet, with traditional powerhouses like Australia, India, England and New Zealand all in contention. Ireland, meanwhile, have returned to the competition after missing out in 2024 and will arrive with renewed confidence after a period of steady improvement.

India will officially begin their campaign on June 14 against arch-rivals Pakistan and play tournament debutants Netherlands on June 17. They also have South Africa, Australia and Bangladesh in the group. Only the top two teams qualify for the semi-finals.

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Published on:

08 Jun 2026 13:16 IST