Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur plays a brand of cricket built on intimidation. Her defining trait is an almost preternatural ability to shift gears in the middle of an innings, turning a slow crawl into a hurricane of sixes with a few savage swings of the bat. She does not just hit the ball; she launches it, with a short backlift and a strong bottom hand that leave bowlers helpless and crowds on their feet.

Born in Moga, Punjab, she first caught the eye with her power-hitting in domestic cricket, but it was the 2017 World Cup semi-final against Australia that made her a household name. Her unbeaten 171 off 115 balls, one of the great one-day innings by anyone, announced the new strength of the women's game. She became India's T20I captain in 2016 and took over the captaincy in all formats in 2022. Her leadership has had its critics, but she answered them emphatically in November 2025, lifting India's first Women's World Cup on home soil.

Beyond the boundaries she clears, Harmanpreet has been a trailblazer. She was the first Indian woman to sign for a team in Australia's Women's Big Bash League, and her success there drew attention to the depth of talent in India. In the Women's Premier League she leads Mumbai Indians, champions in the league's first season. An off-spinner who can chip in with tidy overs, she remains, deep into her thirties, one of the biggest draws in women's cricket.