Harmanpreet Kaur has been here before. Asia Cup 2024, Commonwealth Games 2022, T20 World Cup 2020 – India reached the final each time, fell short each time. Now, eight months out from an ODI World Cup split between India and Sri Lanka, the captain is trying to keep the mood light. “this time we will cross the line”, she said during the captains’ get-together in Bengaluru.
“No doubt we have been through these situations many times,” Harmanpreet admitted. “We have been playing good cricket, and it’s only about going with good confidence and doing the things the way our team is expecting from us. At the same time, we have been only talking about enjoying this moment rather than thinking [about] what happened in the past. We have learned a lot from our mistakes, and hopefully, this time, we will be on the other side.”
That mixture of optimism and scar tissue will colour everything India do over the next few months. This is Harmanpreet’s fifth 50-over World Cup, but her first as skipper. “Leading your country is always very special for any player, but leading your country in [an] ODI World Cup is even more special,” she said. “On top of that, it is a home World Cup, so it’s even more special. When I started playing, I never even thought I would get the opportunity to lead my country… it was only in a dream. Everything altogether is exciting.”
Pressure? The 36-year-old insists she is parking it. “I just want to go there and enjoy, and play my best cricket. That’s what I’ve been telling myself and my team. The ODI World Cup is happening [in India] after 12 years, and I think it is going to be very amazing for all of us. It’s all about not taking too much pressure.”
Recent results help. India have won ten of 14 ODIs in 2025; Smriti Mandhana has led the way with 928 runs, comfortably the most in the format this year. “She has been great,” Harmanpreet said. “The way she is batting nowadays is something really exciting to watch. When I’m batting with her, things become quite easy on the pitch. You don’t need to stress so much because she is always there to help. Having her in my team is a big strength.”
The itinerary looks friendly enough – four group matches at home (Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Indore, Navi Mumbai) and only one trip abroad, against Pakistan in Colombo. Three of those Indian venues have never staged a women’s ODI. “The wickets are going to be flat,” the captain reckoned. “We will get a few practice sessions there to get used to the conditions and the pitches. It’s really about being in a good space. Even though this World Cup is in India, we are not very familiar with the stadiums we are going to play at. But we have enough data to see how the conditions and the pitch are.”
While India search for a first global title, Australia arrive trying to hang on to a seventh. Alyssa Healy, now the full-time captain, pushed back at talk of favourites. “I firmly believe that this is going to be the tightest World Cup that we have been a part of,” she said. “Defending a title is not easy.”
Asked how the holders guard against cruise-control, Healy’s response was brisk. “Getting complacent not in Australian culture.” Her side have lost just one of their last 22 ODIs, yet she pointed out that England, South Africa and New Zealand have all pinched series off them in shorter formats lately. “Every team is on equal footing,” she added, reminding anyone who would listen that one bad afternoon in knockout cricket can wipe away two years of good work.
From a tactical perspective most squads look settled, though the calendar could still spring injuries. India’s main headache is finding a reliable third seamer behind Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar. Australia are juggling a similar question around spin depth if conditions stay dry. The winter tour programmes – especially South Africa’s trip to England – should offer clues.
For now, anticipation outweighs anxiety. Harmanpreet broke into a grin when asked about the likely home crowds. “The women’s IPL showed people are keen. If we play good cricket the fans will come, simple as that.” Healy nodded in agreement about the buzz. “There’s nothing quite like a World Cup in the sub-continent,” she said, half-laughing that even Australian players want an India v Pakistan ticket.
The talking will stop soon enough. Warm-up fixtures start in late February, followed by that group-stage meeting between India and Pakistan in early March. By then we should know whether India have, at last, turned near-misses into something more substantial – or whether Australia’s knack of winning on the big day continues. Either way, if Healy’s hunch is correct, the margins will be slim.
