India’s campaign in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 came to a painful end after a six-wicket defeat to Australia at Lord’s in London, which knocked them out of from the semifinals race.

India posted a strong total of 170/4, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur playing a fighting knock of 56 off 27 balls. However, Australia chased it down comfortably, ending India’s hopes in the tournament.

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Will Harmanpreet continue as India captain?

After the defeat, questions were raised about Harmanpreet’s future as captain, especially after another disappointing World Cup campaign. India head coach Amol Muzumdar was asked about the leadership situation in the post-match press conference.

How India performed under Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy?

This was Harmanpreet’s sixth T20 World Cup as captain. Her best performance came in 2020 when India reached the final but lost to Australia. The team also made the semifinals in 2018 and 2023, losing to England and Australia respectively. Since then, India have struggled to go beyond the group stage.

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Looking ahead, there is uncertainty over whether Harmanpreet will continue as captain for future tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy 2027 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028. However, she has already been named captain for the Asian Games 2026.

Smriti Mandhana currently serves as vice-captain and has also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles. Despite this, the selectors are expected to continue with Harmanpreet for the upcoming assignments at least in the short term.

India's upcoming cricketing assignment

India’s next T20I assignment is likely to come after the Asian Games 2026, with a possible series against Zimbabwe in October, where they are expected to play three T20Is and three ODIs.

The final call on Harmanpreet’s long-term future as captain is expected to become clearer after a review of India’s World Cup performance, unless she decides to step down on her own.