If you were out to define a picture-perfect moment in the sport, Harmanpreet taking the catch to give India Women their first World Cup victory would fit the bill. After being front and centre for numerous heartbreaks - starting from being runners-up in the 2017 ODI World Cup, the 2020 T20 World Cup and the 2022 Commonwealth Games - she finally got to stand on the podium to lift the biggest trophy of them all. It did not come easy.
Harmanpreet had the experience of captaining Mumbai Indians to two WPL titles, of playing high-pressure games under floodlights in front of thousands, of countering different conditions and surfaces across the country, of playing defending champions Australia at home.
Still, when the time came, India were found wanting and were almost on the brink of an early exit. They lost three games in a row - to South Africa, Australia and England - and suddenly the bad memories from the past came thick and fast: of botched chases, of ceding advantage, of crumbling under pressure.
But on returning to the familiarity of the DY Patil Stadium towards the end of the league stage, and subsequently the knockouts, Harmanpreet found her mojo as captain and batter. She made an invaluable 89 in a record chase against Australia in the semi-final. As captain, she trusted her gut and handed Shafali Verma the ball in the final and the part-timer went on to pick up the key wickets of Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp.
Sport doesn't owe anybody anything. But Harmanpreet lifting the cup felt like a repayment for her efforts, her roller-coaster career, and her journey from the small town of Moga in Punjab to that night in Navi Mumbai. She is one of only nine players with over 1000 runs in ODI World Cups. Only Debbie Hockley, Mithali Raj and Janette Brittin have played more World Cup games than her. A player with over 15 years of experience finally found her moment of glory under the world's gaze.
Key moment
Harmanpreet made 70 in the league game against England, but her wicket led to a slide and handed India their third successive defeat in the World Cup. Which is why when she walked out to bat at 59 for 2 in the tenth over in India's record 339-run chase against Australia in the semi-final, the pressure was manifold.
She knew what her time at the crease meant. With Jemimah Rodrigues for company, she kept up with the asking rate, scoring at close to six per over. Harmanpreet hit her first six only after she was past 50 and when the game was in India's control. Her 167-run partnership with Rodrigues laid the perfect platform for India to hand Australia their first loss in 17 ODI World Cup matches.
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The numbers
260 Runs Harmanpreet scored at the 2025 World Cup, the second-most by an Indian captain in an individual World Cup, after Mithali Raj in 2017
1136 World Cup runs scored by Harmanpreet overall - the second-highest for India after Raj
What they said
"I'm numb, I'm not able to understand. We have been talking about this for many years - we've been playing good cricket, but we had to win one big tournament. Without that, we couldn't talk about change… we were waiting for this moment, and today we got a chance to live it."
- Harmanpreet Kaur after India won the World Cup
- Harmanpreet Kaur after India won the World Cup
The closest contender
Laura Wolvaardt
ODIs: P21 W14 L7
T20Is: P5 W3 L2
Wolvaardt not only captained South Africa to their first ODI World Cup final but also scored the most runs in a single edition of the competition. Her valiant century in the final single-handedly kept South Africa in the hunt. Her team lost only seven of 21 ODIs under her captaincy in the year.
ODIs: P21 W14 L7
T20Is: P5 W3 L2
Wolvaardt not only captained South Africa to their first ODI World Cup final but also scored the most runs in a single edition of the competition. Her valiant century in the final single-handedly kept South Africa in the hunt. Her team lost only seven of 21 ODIs under her captaincy in the year.