The landscape of Indian women’s cricket reached a pinnacle of national recognition on Monday as national captain Harmanpreet Kaur was bestowed with one of the country’s 4th highest civilian honours. The prestigious ceremony, held amidst the historic walls of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, underscores the massive cultural shift and soaring popularity of the women’s game in India. Coming off the back of a historic global triumph, this recognition celebrates both individual excellence and a transformative era for the sport.
President Droupadi Murmu awards Padma Shri to India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur
Indian women’s cricket team skipper Harmanpreet was officially conferred with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu during the Civil Investiture Ceremony in New Delhi. The honour serves as the crowning achievement of a monumental period for the national side under Kaur’s astute leadership.
The recognition closely follows a landmark campaign where Harmanpreet guided India to their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title on home soil. In a high-stakes final against South Africa in Navi Mumbai, her tactical brilliance and composed leadership propelled the team to a historic victory. By capturing the elusive trophy, Harmanpreet etched her name into the history books as the first-ever Indian captain to lift the Women’s World Cup, and only the second Indian skipper overall to win a World Cup on home turf, matching the legendary feat achieved by MS Dhoni in 2011.
Beyond her championship-winning captaincy, Kaur’s career statistics reflect over a decade of elite-level consistency across all formats.
- ODIs: 164 matches, 4,541 runs, 37.22 average (7 centuries, 24 half-centuries)
- T20Is: 195 matches, 3,991 runs (1 century, 16 fifties)
- Tests: 7 matches, 230 runs, 23.00 average (1 half-century)
Her aggressive batting style and ability to perform under extreme pressure have long made her the linchpin of the Indian batting order, inspiring a new generation of cricketers across the globe.
Here’s the video:
President Droupadi Murmu confers #PadmaShri upon captain of the Indian women’s cricket team Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar
One of the most dynamic and impactful cricketers of her generation, she led India to its historic first Women’s Cricket World Cup title #PeoplesPadma… pic.twitter.com/Iuzu9326fh
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 25, 2026
India to compete as one of the favourites in ICC t20 World Cup 2026
While the skipper remained in the capital to attend the prestigious awards ceremony, the wheels are already turning for India’s next major international assignment. The majority of the squad, including vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and dynamic batter Jemimah Rodrigues, has already touched down in England to acclimatize and prepare for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to run from June 12 to July 5.
Entering the tournament as reigning 50-over champions, the Women in Blue carry the tag of heavy favorites. They will look to leverage their current momentum to achieve an unprecedented white-ball double. Placed in a competitive group, India’s journey through the tournament features high-profile clashes at some of cricket’s most iconic English venues.
The complete group-stage schedule for the Indian team is outlined below:
- India vs Pakistan – June 14 (Edgbaston, Birmingham)
- India vs Netherlands – June 17 (Headingley, Leeds)
- India vs South Africa – June 21 (Old Trafford, Manchester)
- India vs Bangladesh – June 25 (Old Trafford, Manchester)
- India vs Australia – June 28 (Lord’s, London)
With a highly anticipated opening fixture against arch-rivals Pakistan, the tournament promises to test India’s tactical depth. However, bolstered by their captain’s recent national honour and a squad brimming with world-class talent, the team looks primed to challenge for global dominance once again.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
