Indian Captain and ODI World Cup winner Harmanpreet Kaur was awarded the Padma Shri Award by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, as it is awarded to recognise the contributions of individuals in different fields. Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution to the Indian Women’s team winning their maiden 50-over World Cup at Navi Mumbai is unforgettable. Among other Indian awardees in the sports sector, Rohit Sharma was also awarded Padma Shri, but he wasn’t present at the ceremony.

Harmanpreet Kaur is one of the most successful batters and captains in the history of Indian women's cricket. Known for her explosive power and ability to chase high-pressure targets, she has amassed over 8,000 international runs. She has played 164 ODIs for India, scoring 4,541 runs at an average of 37.22, including 7 centuries and 24 half-centuries. In T20Is, she has amassed 3,991 runs from 195 matches, with one century and 16 fifties.

“Want to make winning World Cups a Habit?” Harmanpreet Kaur says ahead of India’s T20 World Cup Preparation

The Indian Women’s World Cup is all set to begin on June 12th with India starting their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14th at Edgbaston. Although Harmanpreet Kaur is still in India, the majority of her teammates, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and other members, are currently in Chelmsford practising.

Harmanpreet Kaur is set to play her 10th T20I World Cup and captain the side for the fifth time. As she ended India’s drought in the ODI World Cup last year, so hopes are that she will finally give India their maiden T20I World Cup Title too. In a recent interview, she revealed how she wants to make winning the World Cup a habit for the Indian team, confirming that India’s preparation for the tournament is almost done.

“The Women’s World Cup 2025 win gave us a massive boost in confidence. However, it was only the beginning. We want to make winning a habit. While the 2025 World Cup win gave us immense joy, it also gave us responsibility. We know expectations will rise, and that brings pressure, of course, but it is a good kind of pressure. It tells you that you have earned something important, and now you have to recreate it again,” she said

Before the tournament, India will be playing a three-match T20I series against England, along with those two practice matches against West Indies and England (June 8th and June 10th), which are expected to strengthen their preparation.