Harmanpreet Kaur says she fought to be heard before leading India to World Cup glory

Harmanpreet Kaur recalled telling a media training session ahead of the 2017 ODI World Cup that no one wanted to listen to women's stories, a sentiment that has changed as Indian women's cricket gained prominence after she helped secure the country's first major ICC title. The batter from Moga, Punjab, fought to play the sport as a child, initially mixing cricket with hockey before her coach spotted her hitting sixes while playing with boys, her long hair tied in a traditional Sikh bun. After leading India to the ODI World Cup triumph, she stepped down as captain across formats and said she now gets to play for herself rather than carrying the weight of representation. Former selector Neetu David described her fighting spirit as inherent to her background, noting that Harmanpreet had to fight first to play, then to be believed, and finally to prove doubters wrong by lifting the World Cup trophy. Her journey from an ignored domestic circuit to household name reflects the broader rise of Indian women's cricket over the past decade.