Road to Glory: India’s star trio ready for a historic World Cup at home
India’s Star Trio Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues set sights on historic home triumph at ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
With the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 fast approaching, India’s senior cricketers are preparing for a campaign which could deliver a long-awaited breakthrough – a first senior ICC trophy in women’s cricket. The tournament, to be played in India, presents the perfect stage for the hosts to inspire millions and make history in front of the home supporters.
For captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who will lead the side in a 50-over World Cup for the first time, the chance to lift the trophy on home soil is a driving force. “When the World Cup is in your own country, you just want to give it your all and play your best cricket. The crowd, the energy, the atmosphere – it gives you that extra push to do something special,” she said at a glittering event in Mumbai on Monday.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana pointed to the team’s sharper preparation and improved mental approach in recent years. “I think in the last two-three years the calmness, the clarity and the preparation that has been going on for the World Cup – be it the camps, the tours – everything has been structured very well and that has helped us to be in the right frame of mind,” she explained.
Jemimah Rodrigues, a consistent performer and a vital link in India’s middle order, credited the Women’s Premier League for empowering both senior and emerging players. “The WPL has given players a lot of confidence, especially youngsters like Kranti Gaud who is now in the World Cup squad. She has played in front of big crowds and on big stages, so she’s not nervous. That’s the beauty of having a tournament like the WPL,” she said.
The build-up to the tournament has also brought back memories of India’s memorable run in the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, a landmark event that transformed the profile of women’s cricket in the country.
Former India captain Mithali Raj, who led the team to the final that year, reflected on the significance of that campaign and the role it played in shaping the sport’s growth. “2017 was a turning point for women’s cricket in India. We may not have won the trophy, but we won the hearts of millions and inspired a generation to take up the sport. It showed the world what Indian women’s cricket was capable of,” she said.
Mithali also acknowledged Harmanpreet’s iconic knock in the semi-final against Australia as a defining moment. “That innings of 171 not out was not just match-winning, it was career-defining – for her and for Indian cricket. It gave us belief and gave the country a memory they will cherish forever,” she added.
India will open their campaign against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on 30 September 2025. With a mix of seasoned leaders and exciting young talent, the team is determined to script a chapter in history that the nation will never forget.
