Harmanpreet Kaur: The Trailblazing Captain Who Delivered India’s Maiden Women’s World Cup
Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar was born on March 8, 1989, in Moga, Punjab. Her father, Harmandar Singh Bhullar, used to play volleyball and basketball and now works as a court clerk. Her mother, Satwinder Kaur, stays at home. She grew up in a family that loved sports, and she learned about cricket early on because she liked Virender Sehwag’s aggressive style. When she was only 10 years old, she joined the Gian Jyoti School Academy, which was 30 kilometers from her home. She trained with coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi. During her early years, Harmanpreet played with boys, using her dupatta as a makeshift white shirt and developing a fearless attitude that would shape her career.
Franchise and Domestic Dominance
Harmanpreet started her domestic career with Punjab in 2006. In 2014, she switched to Railways, where she got a job with Indian Railways that let her move to Mumbai. Her big break came when she signed with the Sydney Thunder in the 2016–17 Women’s Big Bash League. She blew up in leagues all over the world, like the Lancashire Thunder, the Supernovas, the Manchester Originals, the Melbourne Renegades, and the Trent Rockets. She is the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. She led them to their first title in 2023 and their second title in March 2025, making her the first captain to win more than one WPL trophy.
The 171* That Changed Everything: An International Breakthrough
Harmanpreet made his ODI debut against Pakistan in March 2009 and his T20I debut against England in June 2009. At first, he had a hard time as a bowler against greats like Jhulan Goswami. She changed her game and became a batter, showing her authority with a century against England in the 2013 World Cup. On July 20, 2017, she hit an unbeaten 171 off 115 balls—seven sixes and 20 fours—while India was behind Australia in the World Cup semi-final. This was the defining moment that sent India to the final. It is still the highest score in a Women’s World Cup knockout and the second-highest score by an Indian woman in ODIs, after Deepti Sharma’s 188.
From Heartbreak to History: Being a Captain
Harmanpreet was named T20I captain in 2016 and full-time leader in all formats. Under her leadership, India won the Asia Cup (2012, 2016, 2018), the Commonwealth Games silver (2022), and the Asian Games gold (2022). She wrote the first bilateral ODI series win in England since 1999 (2022), the first T20I series sweep in England (2025), and the first Test win over Australia (2023). There was a lot of controversy in 2023 when she was suspended for breaking the code, but she bounced back. The team came together after losing early in the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, even though they were criticized for their losses. India scored 298 runs in the semi-final against Australia, and Deepti Sharma took 5-44. Shafali Verma was the star of the show, and Harmanpreet caught the winning catch as South Africa fell 52 runs short of the final in Navi Mumbai on November 2. India won their first title on their own soil.
Records and Important Events
Harmanpreet is an explosive all-rounder who holds many records. She was the first Indian woman to score 100 runs in a T20I (103 against New Zealand in 2018), the first to get 100 T20I caps (2019), and the first to score 3,000 T20I runs (2023). She is one of only three Indian women to have more than 3,000 ODI runs. She has more than 8,000 international runs overall. As of October 2025, he had played 160 ODIs (4,389 runs, 7 hundreds, and an average of 37.19), 182 T20Is (3,654 runs, 1 hundred, and an average of 28.77), and 6 Tests (200 runs, 12 wickets, and one five-for). She has taken 75 international wickets with her off-spin.
Awards and Legacy
The Arjuna Award (2017), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2023)—first Indian woman—ICC T20I Team of the Year (2017), TIME100 Next, and BBC 100 Women (both 2023) are some of the honors. After the victory in 2025, there were many tributes. Virat Kohli called it a “proud moment for every Indian,” and coach Sodhi said his life’s work was done. Harmanpreet, who was so happy that she couldn’t feel anything, said, “This isn’t the end; our next plan is to make it a habit.”
Life and Inspiration
Harmanpreet says that her family has protected her from stress while she is single and focused. Her journey, from the dusty fields of Moga to lifting the World Cup in front of 20,000 cheering fans, has made women’s cricket in India much more popular. Harmanpreet showed resilience as she ran with the trophy next to legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. She turned criticism into milestones and showed that belief, gut instinct, and an unbreakable team spirit can overcome anything.