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Harmanpreet Kaur has created a unique world record in women's cricket after leading India against Pakistan in their Women's Asia Cup 2026 clash in Dubai. The match marks the Indian captain's 150th T20I as captain, making her the first cricketer, male or female, to reach the landmark in the shortest format.
Harmanpreet Kaur entered the contest with 149 T20Is as captain and has now created history. Her landmark comes in a high-profile India-Pakistan fixture, with India already through to the semi-finals after winning their opening two matches against Thailand and Hong Kong.
Harmanpreet Kaur creates history with 150th T20I as captain
Harmanpreet Kaur has reached 150 T20Is as captain, extending her lead at the top of the women's list and moving into an unprecedented position in the overall T20I captaincy record.
Before the India-Pakistan match, Harmanpreet Kaur had led India in 149 T20Is, with 86 wins, 57 defeats, one tie and five no-results. Her win percentage stood at 57.71, while her overall result percentage was 60.06.
The Indian captain has been a constant presence in the team's T20I setup for more than a decade. She first took charge in the format in 2012 and has remained India's leading captain despite several changes around her.
The landmark also comes shortly after Deepti Sharma joined the 150-T20I club as a player during India's Asia Cup opener against Thailand. Harmanpreet's achievement, however, is specifically related to captaincy, making her the first cricketer to lead in 150 T20Is.
List of captains with most T20I matches
The men's T20I captaincy record is led by Namibia's Gerhard Erasmus, who has captained his side in 91 matches. Rwanda's Clet Niyomugabo Rubagumya is second with 90, while Babar Azam is third with 85.
| Player | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerhard Erasmus | 2019-2026 | 91 | 53 | 37 | 1 | 0 |
| Clet Rubagumya | 2021-2025 | 90 | 25 | 63 | 0 | 2 |
| Babar Azam | 2019-2024 | 85 | 48 | 29 | 1 | 7 |
| Aaron Finch | 2014-2022 | 76 | 40 | 32 | 1 | 3 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 2024-2026 | 76 | 30 | 44 | 0 | 2 |
| Sikandar Raza | 2015-2026 | 76 | 33 | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| Kane Williamson | 2012-2024 | 75 | 39 | 34 | 1 | 1 |
| Muhammad Waseem | 2023-2026 | 73 | 41 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| MS Dhoni | 2007-2016 | 72 | 41 | 28 | 1 | 2 |
| Eoin Morgan | 2012-2022 | 72 | 42 | 27 | 2 | 1 |
Among women's captains, Harmanpreet Kaur now stands alone at the top after completing her 150th match. Chamari Athapaththu is second with 121, while Rwanda's Mary Bimenyimana has led in 101 T20Is.
| Player | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 2012-2026 | 150 | 86 | 57 | 1 | 5 |
| Chamari Athapaththu | 2014-2026 | 121 | 55 | 63 | 0 | 3 |
| Mary Bimenyimana | 2021-2026 | 101 | 63 | 36 | 1 | 1 |
| Meg Lanning | 2014-2023 | 100 | 76 | 18 | 1 | 5 |
| Naruemol Chaiwai | 2021-2026 | 98 | 67 | 30 | 0 | 1 |
| Heather Knight | 2016-2025 | 96 | 71 | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| Charlotte Edwards | 2006-2016 | 93 | 68 | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| Wanida Duraaisingham | 2018-2026 | 86 | 35 | 49 | 1 | 1 |
| Laura Delany | 2016-2024 | 77 | 42 | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| Nigar Sultana | 2022-2026 | 77 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 1 |
Smriti Mandhana and Muneeba Ali eye massive milestones in India vs Pakistan clash
Smriti Mandhana entered the India-Pakistan match with another major milestone in sight. She was 78 runs away from surpassing Suzie Bates' 4,758 T20I runs and becoming the leading run-scorer in women's T20I cricket.
Mandhana has already been in excellent form during the Asia Cup. She played an important role in India's opening matches, including a record-breaking 124 against Hong Kong.
For Pakistan, Muneeba Ali also had two significant milestones within reach. She was two matches away from becoming the sixth Pakistan woman to feature in 100 T20Is. She was also 31 runs short of becoming Pakistan's highest T20I run-scorer in a calendar year.
With both teams playing their final Group A match, the India-Pakistan contest therefore carried several individual milestones alongside its importance in the Asia Cup.
