Harmanpreet Kaur is one of the most influential figures in Indian women’s cricket, recognised for her aggressive batting, resilience under pressure and contribution to the growth of the women’s game. From her early days in Punjab to leading India to its maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in 2025, she has built a career defined by match-winning performances and significant milestones.
Although she stepped down as India’s captain across all formats in October 2026, Harmanpreet continues to represent the national side as a player. Her international career and performances in the Women’s Premier League have established her as a prominent name in modern cricket.
Harmanpreet Kaur Profile: Personal Details
Full Name: Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar
Date of Birth: 8 March 1989
Age: 37 years (as of October 2026)
Birthplace: Moga, Punjab, India
Nationality: Indian
Profession: International cricketer
Role: Batter
Batting Style: Right-handed
Bowling Style: Right-arm off-break
International Team: India Women
WPL Team: Mumbai Indians Women
Early Life and Cricket Journey
Born in Moga, Punjab, Harmanpreet developed an interest in cricket at a young age. Her father, who played cricket and became her first coach, encouraged her development and helped her pursue the sport seriously.
Growing up in an environment where opportunities for women cricketers were more limited than they are today, she worked towards establishing herself through domestic cricket. Her determination and attacking approach gradually attracted attention, opening the door to international cricket.
Harmanpreet made her international debut against Pakistan in March 2009. She subsequently developed into an important member of India’s batting line-up, earning a reputation for her ability to change the course of a match with powerful stroke play.
International Career and Rise to Prominence
Harmanpreet has represented India in Tests, One-Day Internationals and T20 Internationals. While her aggressive batting has been a defining feature of her career, her experience across formats has also helped her adapt to different match situations.
One of the most memorable performances of her career came during the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final against Australia. She scored an unbeaten 171 off 115 balls, striking 20 fours and seven sixes. The innings helped India reach the final and remains one of the most celebrated individual performances in the tournament’s history.
Her ability to accelerate an innings, particularly against high-quality bowling attacks, has made her a key batter in limited-overs cricket. She has also contributed with her right-arm off-break bowling when required.
Captaincy and India’s Historic World Cup Triumph
Harmanpreet took over India’s T20I captaincy in 2016 and later became the full-time captain across the longer formats. During her leadership tenure, she guided the team through major international tournaments and helped develop a competitive approach in women’s cricket.
India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title in 2025 became a landmark moment in her career. Leading the national side to the trophy on home soil placed her among the captains associated with a defining chapter in Indian cricket.
She also led India to a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and helped the team win gold medals at the Asian Games in 2023 and 2026.
On 6 October 2026, Harmanpreet announced that she was stepping down as India captain across all three formats. She confirmed that she would continue playing for India, bringing her leadership chapter to a close while keeping her international career active.
Latest Century: 126 Against Zimbabwe
Harmanpreet delivered another major performance in the second ODI against Zimbabwe in Vadodara on 25 October 2026. After India lost early wickets, she joined Pratika Rawal in rebuilding the innings and provided stability during a crucial phase.
Harmanpreet scored 126 off 121 balls, including 15 fours, to register her eighth century in women’s ODI cricket. Her partnership with Rawal helped India recover, before she continued to build the innings alongside Deepti Sharma, who also scored a century.
India posted 328 for six and went on to defeat Zimbabwe by 121 runs, securing the ODI series with a match to spare. The innings underlined Harmanpreet’s ability to combine controlled batting with attacking intent when her team needs a substantial contribution.
Harmanpreet Kaur in the Women’s Premier League
Harmanpreet has been a central figure for Mumbai Indians Women in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the women’s franchise competition in India. She captained Mumbai Indians to the inaugural WPL title in 2023, helping establish the franchise as a major force in the tournament.
Her WPL performances have showcased the same qualities that define her international game: aggressive stroke play, composure in important moments and the ability to guide a batting line-up through challenging situations.
Although the WPL is sometimes confused with the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL), they are separate competitions. Harmanpreet’s Indian franchise career is associated with Mumbai Indians Women in the WPL.
She has also played in overseas women’s franchise competitions, including Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League, contributing to the growing international profile of Indian women cricketers.
Career Records and Achievements
Harmanpreet’s career includes several significant milestones:
Scored an unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 Women’s World Cup semi-final.
Became the first Indian woman to score a century in women’s T20I cricket, making 103 against New Zealand in 2018.
Led Mumbai Indians Women to the inaugural WPL title in 2023.
Captained India to its first Women’s ODI World Cup title in 2025.
Scored her eighth ODI century with 126 against Zimbabwe in October 2026.
Received the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award in September 2022.
Received the Padma Shri in 2026 in recognition of her contribution to sport.
Legacy and Impact on Indian Women’s Cricket
Harmanpreet Kaur’s journey reflects the transformation of Indian women’s cricket from a developing competition into a sport with growing visibility, professional opportunities and a wider audience. Her performances have inspired young players to pursue cricket and demonstrated the impact an aggressive middle-order batter can have at the highest level.
Her legacy is built not only on runs and records but also on her contribution to major team achievements, including India’s historic 2025 World Cup victory. As she continues her international career after stepping down from captaincy, Harmanpreet remains an important figure in the Indian team and women’s franchise cricket.