Posted on October 8, 2026
Some moments in sport stay with you long after the match is over. For Indian women’s cricket, Harmanpreet Kaur’s unforgettable 171 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final was one of those moments.
It was more than just a brilliant innings. Kaur’s fearless batting showed millions of Indian fans what the women’s team was capable of. She took on one of the strongest teams in the world and turned a World Cup semi-final into a performance that would be remembered for years.
India eventually lost the final to England, but something had already changed. Women’s cricket in India had found a new level of attention, and Kaur had become one of the faces of that change.
Now, almost a decade later, another chapter has come to an end.
On 6 October 2026, Harmanpreet Kaur announced that she was stepping down as India’s captain across all formats. The 37-year-old will continue to play for the national team, but the captaincy will now pass to the next generation.
The innings that made her a household name
When Kaur walked out to bat against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, India were under pressure. What followed was extraordinary.
She smashed an unbeaten 171 from only 115 balls, combining power, timing and remarkable composure. It remains one of the most memorable innings in Women’s Cricket World Cup history.
India reached the final, although they ultimately fell short against England. But the result could not take away from what Kaur had achieved.
For many Indian fans, that was the moment women’s cricket stopped feeling like a sideshow. The players were no longer simply competing. They were creating sporting moments that captured the country’s imagination.
Kaur, with her aggressive style and confidence, became a symbol of that change.
From a young star to India’s leader
Kaur’s journey into leadership had already begun by then. She became India’s full-time T20I captain in 2016 and later took charge of the ODI and Test teams following Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022.
The years that followed brought both success and disappointment.
India reached the 2020 T20 World Cup final but lost to Australia. There were also painful exits from major tournaments, including the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups.
For any captain, those moments can be difficult. Kaur faced her share of criticism, but she remained at the centre of an Indian team that was increasingly being taken seriously on the international stage.
And eventually, she got the moment every captain dreams of.
The World Cup that completed the story
In 2025, India finally won the Women’s Cricket World Cup.
For Kaur, it was particularly special. Eight years earlier, she had come agonisingly close to winning the trophy after that famous 171. This time, she was the captain lifting it.
It was India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup title and one of the biggest achievements in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
The victory also gave Kaur’s career a fitting sense of closure. The player who had once inspired a generation with an extraordinary semi-final innings was now leading that same generation to the ultimate prize.
There had been setbacks along the way, but the journey had finally reached its destination.
Her impact goes beyond the captaincy
Kaur’s contribution to Indian cricket cannot be measured only by trophies or statistics.
She belongs to a generation of players who helped change the perception of women’s cricket in the country. At a time when the women’s game was still fighting for attention, Kaur played with a confidence and aggression that demanded people take notice.
Her career also coincided with a major transformation in Indian women’s cricket.
The launch and growth of the Women’s Premier League brought greater visibility, more professional opportunities and a new generation of young players into the spotlight. Television audiences and commercial interest in the women’s game also grew significantly.
Kaur was an important part of that journey.
She showed young girls watching from homes and cricket grounds across India that playing for the national team could be more than a dream. It could be a realistic ambition.
A new era with Smriti Mandhana
Stepping down as captain does not mean Kaur is walking away from international cricket.
She will remain available as a player, giving India the benefit of her experience as the team moves into a new phase.
The captaincy now passes to Smriti Mandhana, another player who has become one of the biggest names in Indian women’s cricket.
Mandhana has already gained leadership experience with India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League. She led RCB to WPL titles in 2024 and 2026, adding another dimension to her credentials as she takes on the responsibility of leading the national side.
It is a changing of the guard, but Kaur’s presence can still be valuable. Her experience of World Cup pressure, difficult defeats and, ultimately, winning the biggest prize gives her a unique perspective to pass on to the next generation.
The legacy of Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur’s time as India’s captain may be over, but her influence will remain.
Her story is closely connected with the rise of women’s cricket in India. From the breathtaking 171 in 2017 to lifting the World Cup trophy in 2025, her career has included some of the highest highs and toughest lows the sport can offer.
Perhaps her greatest achievement, though, is what she helped make people believe.
She showed that Indian women could play fearless, competitive cricket on the biggest stage. She helped turn women’s cricket into something that millions wanted to watch, discuss and celebrate.
Now, the captain’s armband belongs to Smriti Mandhana and a new chapter is beginning.
But every chapter that follows will have a little of Kaur’s story in it. She was there when Indian women’s cricket was fighting to be noticed, and she was there when it finally reached the top of the world.