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Harmanpreet Kaur-led India Women's campaign in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 hangs in the balance after a mixed start to the tournament. The Women in Blue have shown flashes of brilliance but have failed to deliver consistently, leaving them with little margin for error in the remaining group-stage matches.
While India's bowling unit has impressed, the batting has failed to click as a collective. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur has particularly come under scrutiny after struggling to score quickly in the middle order, with former India pacer Shikha Pandey openly expressing concern over the skipper's strike rate ahead of India's must-win clash against Bangladesh.
Harmanpreet Kaur struggling in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur has scored 72 runs in three matches in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at a strike rate of 109.09. The India captain has batted at No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 during the tournament but has been unable to produce the explosive innings that have defined her career.
India's batting issues were exposed during the defeat to South Africa, where Harmanpreet, Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues managed just 51 runs off 49 deliveries between them. India's highest partnership in the innings was only 33 runs, highlighting the lack of momentum through the middle overs.
The numbers are in sharp contrast to Harmanpreet's overall T20I career. The veteran all-rounder has represented India in 200 WT20Is, scoring 4,147 runs at an average of 30.05, including one century and 17 half-centuries. Widely regarded as one of India's greatest white-ball cricketers, Harmanpreet has built her reputation on fearless strokeplay against both pace and spin. However, that aggressive intent has been missing in this World Cup, increasing the pressure on the rest of the batting line-up.
Shikha Pandey slams Harmanpreet Kaur over poor strike rate
Former India fast bowler Shikha Pandey believes Harmanpreet should stop worrying about rebuilding the innings and instead trust her natural attacking instincts.
"Harmanpreet Kaur's strike rate is a cause for concern for India's middle order," Pandey said on JioStar's Game Plan, as quoted by Cricinfo.
"If a wicket falls early, we have seen Yastika Bhatia walk in, with Jemimah Rodrigues at number four. We might see Harman come in to bat at number four and Jemimah drop down to number five."
"But wherever she bats, Harman should stop thinking about the wickets that have fallen and not try to rebuild because we have seen that when Harmanpreet Kaur is on song, she is a completely different player altogether."
"Once she gets set, we'll see those straight drives and those shots over deep midwicket. She is excellent against spinners, so if she can just get set, it will be great for India."
Pandey suggested that batting higher in the order could help Harmanpreet Kaur avoid constantly walking in during crisis situations and allow her to dictate terms from the outset.
Shikha Pandey hails Shree Charani as the India bowler shines
Despite India's batting struggles, Pandey was full of praise for left-arm spinner Shree Charani, who has emerged as one of the stars of the tournament.
"The way Shree Charani has bowled in tandem with Deepti Sharma has been great to watch," Pandey said.
"In the three games she has played so far, she has taken ten wickets. She has been varying her pace really well."
"The wicket she got of Annerie Dercksen was probably the best ball you would want to bowl as a left-arm spinner, pitching on off and middle and taking out the off stump. She has been phenomenal with her lengths while keeping the stumps in play all the time."
Who are India's best performers so far in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026
Despite India's inconsistent campaign, a few players have stood out with their performances. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been India's leading run-scorer with 159 runs in three innings at an average of 53.00 and a blistering strike rate of 154.36, including two half-centuries. Shafali Verma has also chipped in with 92 runs at an impressive strike rate of 158.62, while Richa Ghosh has maintained a strike rate of 176.92 despite limited opportunities.
With the ball, Shree Charani has been India's biggest match-winner, picking up 10 wickets in three games. Deepti Sharma has provided excellent support with six wickets, giving India one of the strongest spin combinations in the tournament.
India now face a virtual knockout situation. They are likely to need victories in both of their remaining group-stage matches, along with a healthy boost to their net run rate, to keep their Women's T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final hopes alive.
