For the second successive Women's T20 World Cup, India's campaign ended in the group stage. But for captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the bigger concern was not the result itself, it was a long-standing problem she believes continues to haunt the team in ICC events.
India's Harmanpreet Kaur looks on during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. (HT_PRINT)
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Following India's six-wicket defeat to Australia in the virtual quarterfinal at Lord's on Sunday, Harmanpreet admitted the side has repeatedly failed to produce its best cricket against the strongest opponents.
"If I have to think about the entire tournament, we didn't do well against good teams. Against the best teams, your best should come out. I think we need to rethink about that," Harmanpreet said after the loss.
The India skipper also highlighted a recurring pattern in crunch games.
"Sometimes we're in the game, but in the last few overs we concede too many runs. And when we're chasing, we're not able to score those runs. I think it's been happening for quite a long time."
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Earlier, Harmanpreet led India's batting effort with a scintillating 27-ball 56, evoking memories of her famous 171 at the same venue. Openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) added 66 for the first wicket, while Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 34 before being retired out in the final over. Harmanpreet's three successive sixes off Sophie Molineux lifted India to a competitive-looking 170/4.
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Earlier, Harmanpreet led India's batting effort with a scintillating 27-ball 56, evoking memories of her famous 171 at the same venue. Openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) added 66 for the first wicket, while Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 34 before being retired out in the final over. Harmanpreet's three successive sixes off Sophie Molineux lifted India to a competitive-looking 170/4.
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India also made the ideal start with the ball. Renuka Singh dismissed Georgia Voll in the opening over, while Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield fell cheaply to leave Australia at 68/3. However, Ellyse Perry (56) and Ashleigh Gardner (53*) stitched together a match-winning 100-run partnership to steer the six-time champions to victory with an over to spare.
Harmanpreet admitted India were in the contest but failed to execute when it mattered.
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"At the end of the day we got a decent total on the board. While I was batting, I felt we were a little short, but the last couple of overs helped us. They bowled according to their plans. We didn't lose too many wickets, but at the same time we didn't get what we were expecting. It was a good game, but unfortunately, we didn't get over the line."
India finished third in Group A behind Australia and South Africa, ending another ICC T20 World Cup campaign without a semifinal appearance despite entering the tournament among the favourites.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Harmanpreet Kaur addresses India’s long-standing problem after crashing out of Women’s T20 World Cup
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