Even after losing three matches in a row, the Indian team never lost belief.
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) December 15, 2025
In a candid interview, captain Harmanpreet Kaur shares how the dressing room stayed positive, trusted the process, and peaked at the right time during the World Cup.
Full interview coming soon. Stay… pic.twitter.com/J4VcDZfd1I
In an extensive interview with THE WEEK, World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur spoke about her childhood days in Moga, Punjab, the day she saw what fitness actually looked like, and how the role of captain has softened her over the years.
One of the aspects she touched upon was the feeling in the dressing room after the team had lost three consecutive matches in the World Cup. “From the moment the World Cup began, we knew we were going to win this,” she said. “So though we lost those matches, when we arrived in Mumbai and sat for the team meeting, everyone still looked positive. Not a single girl showed me that she was feeling low or lacking confidence.”
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur explains how WPL reduced the pressure of international cricket by giving young players exposure, confidence, and the chance to share dressing rooms with the world’s best.
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) December 16, 2025
From bowlers like Kranti Gaud and Shree Charani to a new generation of… pic.twitter.com/35v7fYe3LN
Having breezed past Sri Lanka and Pakistan in their first two matches, the hosts faltered against the South Africans first. Nadine de Klerk, with her brilliant 84* off 54, outshone Richa Ghosh’s 94 off 77, taking her side to victory with three wickets and seven balls left.
The next loss was more brutal. India had posted 330, but the mighty Australians, led by captain Alyssa Healy’s dominant 142 off 107, won by three wickets with an over remaining. Then came England, and a loss by a painfully thin margin of four runs. Heather Knight’s 109 off 91 had taken England to 288, and India’s batting couldn’t keep pace in the chase.
Heading into the next match, India were on the verge of being knocked out. They had to rediscover form to make it to the semifinals. They did so by beating New Zealand, and then everything changed.
“Something Smriti [Mandhana] and I often discussed was that we still hadn’t played our best cricket,” said Harman. “The tournament was long, and we had to face multiple teams, so it was important to peak at the right time. I’m glad that’s exactly what happened.”
All of India was glad, too—the women in blue, having reached World Cup finals previously, had finally got theirs hands on the trophy. “The T20 World Cup is round the corner, and we have already started preparing for it,” says Harman. “I have asked the girls to make winning a habit. We are not satisfied with just one trophy—we want many more.”
Grab a copy of the December 28 issue of THE WEEK—the anniversary special—to read the full story of how the girl from Moga became a world champion.
