Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur says a strong winning culture has taken shape within the squad as they prepare for the Asia Cup in the UAE and their title defence at the Asian Games in Japan.
Fresh off a historic 270-run victory over England in the first-ever women's Test match at Lord's, the Indian women's cricket team is turning its attention to the upcoming UAE Asia Cup T20 and the Asian Games in Japan. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized that the squad has developed a winning culture and remains "hungry for more" success after several impressive performances.
India, record seven-time Asia Cup champions, begin their campaign on Friday, August 28, 2026, in the eight-team tournament where they share Group A with arch-rivals Pakistan. Aiming to reclaim the trophy after losing the previous edition to Sri Lanka, Kaur noted: "Our team has been playing very good cricket. The last 4-5 years have been good, and where we have played good cricket, dominating cricket, have defeated big teams and won series also."
Addressing the marquee India-Pakistan clash, Kaur acknowledged the distinct atmosphere surrounding the fixture. "No doubt it’s a high-pressure game and as a player you need to deal with multiple things," Kaur said. "The amount of pressure in a India vs Pakistan match, that kind of pressure you don’t feel anywhere else. As a captain and as a player, I try to keep things very simple, very easy. Only focus on cricket, focus on our aims, focus on our routines."
Following the Asia Cup, India will travel to Japan to defend their Asian Games title, having previously won gold during their tournament debut in Hangzhou. Kaur highlighted the unique motivation of competing for individual medals at multi-sport events, saying, "This is one such moment where you get your own medal and I think when it’s about the medals, the motivation increases even more. Day and night we keep thinking how will we feel after winning the medal and how we will celebrate."
Reflecting on the team's recent landmark win at Lord's—which marked India's second-highest win by margin of runs in Women's Tests and the fourth biggest overall—Kaur described leading the side at the iconic venue as a dream come true. "Playing a Test match at Lord’s is a big dream for any cricketer. For me also, it was a very big dream and to lead the team is an even bigger dream," she added.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Cricket. Photo courtesy The Hindu Cricket.