India Women have been tantalisingly close to clinching the ODI World Cup on at least two occasions. They were runners-up in 2005 and 2017, besides finishing third in 2009, seventh in 2013 and fifth in 2022.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Monday said that her team was determined to break the “final barrier” and end their ICC trophy drought during next month’s ODI World Cup.
“Playing in front of a home crowd is always special, and hopefully this time we’ll give our 100 per cent and finally break the barrier that all Indian fans have been waiting for,” Harmanpreet said at the 50-day countdown in Mumbai on Monday.
The 2025 edition, featuring eight teams, begins September 30, with India taking on Sri Lanka in the opening game.
Harmanpreet recalled the heartbreak of the 2017 tournament in which she had smashed a jaw-dropping unbeaten 171 in the semi-final against Australia.
“I still remember that knock, it was very special. A lot changed for me personally after that. At the time, I didn’t fully realise what had happened, but when we returned to India after losing the final (against England Women), the number of people waiting and cheering for us was truly remarkable. That was something very special,” the India skipper recalled.
The team, she said, was very high on confidence going into the event, having recently won both the ODI and T20I series in England.
“To be honest, very high... because the amount of cricket we have played in the last couple of years, that has really given us a lot of confidence. And touchwood, the way we are playing (for) the last couple of years, we just want to continue with that. I think it is all about mindset and fearless cricket we have been playing,” Harmanpreet said.
ICC chair Jay Shah inaugurated Monday’s event, also attended by ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta. Harmanpreet and teammates Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues participated in panel discussions.
India have another assignment before the World Cup — a three-match ODI series at home against defending champions and world No. 1 Australia, which will finish just 10 days before the tournament.
