{
  "id": 12736471,
  "title": "She made India fall in love with women's cricket - now her era as captain is over",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/she-made-india-fall-in-love-with-womens-cricket-now-her-era-as",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T23:31:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4g1pjrd5ewo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Harmanpreet Kaur's tenure as captain of India's women's cricket team has concluded, marking the end of an era. Her leadership brought significant advancements to the sport in India. In 2017, Harmanpreet's century against Australia in the World Cup semi-final not only altered the match but also the future of women's cricket in the country. Despite India losing the final to England, women's cricket gained a new level of enthusiasm among Indian fans. The following year, Harmanpreet led India to their first Women's World Cup victory in 2022, solidifying her influence in the sport. Less than a year after this triumph, Harmanpreet stepped down from the captaincy, with Smriti Mandhana, her deputy, now leading the team across all formats. The transition, however, was not without controversy. Harmanpreet was willing to relinquish the T20 captaincy but wished to continue as leader in ODIs and Tests, aiming to benefit younger players from her experience. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opted for a younger captain, choosing Mandhana. This decision is similar to the men's T20 captaincy change following India's World Cup win earlier this year. Harmanpreet's future as captain was a subject of intense debate due to India's poor performance in the T20 World Cup. At 37, after nearly a decade leading the team, Harmanpreet faced increasing scrutiny over her declining form. Former cricketers had contrasting opinions on her continued leadership. Harmanpreet, acknowledging her duty, shared her gratitude for the experience and commitment in an emotional Instagram post. She expressed readiness to return to cricket for the love of the game. Despite her recent form, Harmanpreet's career has been remarkable, spanning over two decades marked by significant achievements. Born in a modest family in Punjab, Harmanpreet's cricket journey began at an early age, supported by her family and facilitated by Diana Edulji's guidance. Her all-round skills, including middle-order batting, off-spin, and fielding, made her indispensable to the team. Harmanpreet's leadership was characterized by a bold approach, instilling confidence in her teammates and helping India overcome formidable opponents like Australia.",
  "summary": "The skipper who led India to the historic 2025 World Cup win has stepped down from her role in all three formats.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Harmanpreet Kaur: The captain who changed how India’s women played cricket",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/harmanpreet-kaur-the-captain-who-changed-how-indias-women-played",
        "published": "2026-10-07T21:08:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}