India at Women’s World Cup 2025: Can Harmanpreet Kaur Lead the Hosts to Glory?

India’s women’s cricket team embarks on a historic journey at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, beginning their campaign against Sri Lanka on September 30 at Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India aims to clinch its maiden World Cup title on home soil.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s words resonate with millions of aspiring young cricketers across India: “We want to break that barrier which all Indians are waiting for.” For decades, Indian women have come close to World Cup glory but heartbreaks in 2005 against Australia and in 2017 against England left fans yearning for a title. The 2025 edition offers a chance to rewrite that narrative.

Key Players and Form:

Smriti Mandhana, India’s batting linchpin, has been in sensational form, averaging 47.92 in ODIs. Recently reclaiming her spot at the top of the ICC Women’s ODI rankings, she combines elegance with consistency. Alongside Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma provide balance, experience, and finishing firepower in the batting order.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur steps into her first ODI World Cup as captain at age 36, carrying both experience and the weight of expectations. Known for fearless strokeplay and composure under pressure, she has scored over 4,000 ODI runs and played iconic innings, including her unbeaten 171 against Australia in 2017. Her leadership experience from the Women’s Premier League further strengthens her credentials to lead India to glory.

Spin and Pace Attack:

India’s formidable spin quartet—Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, N. Shree Charani, and Radha Yadav—offers a blend of experience, aggression, and tactical variety. Deepti Sharma’s sharp off-spin, Sneh Rana’s wicket-taking ability, Charani’s rising potential, and Radha Yadav’s all-round contributions make the spin department a significant threat.

The pace attack, led by Renuka Singh, with the young sensation Kranti Gaud and resilient Arundhati Reddy, provides India with depth and variety. Their combined skill and temperament under pressure are crucial for India’s ambitions.

India’s World Cup Record and Fixtures:

India has twice finished as runners-up (2005, 2017) and is yet to win an ICC title. Post-2022, India has won 25 of 38 matches, demonstrating strong form heading into the tournament.

Women’s World Cup 2025 Fixtures (League Stage):

• Sep 30 – India vs Sri Lanka, Guwahati

• Oct 05 – India vs Pakistan, Colombo

• Oct 09 – India vs South Africa, Visakhapatnam

• Oct 12 – India vs Australia, Visakhapatnam

• Oct 19 – India vs England, Indore

• Oct 23 – India vs New Zealand, Navi Mumbai

• Oct 26 – India vs Bangladesh, Navi Mumbai

Predicted XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud

With the hopes of a nation resting on their shoulders, India’s women’s cricket team will look to combine experience, talent, and resilience to script history at home in 2025.