Harmanpreet Kaur scripts history with 200th T20I appearance for India

Harmanpreet Kaur has made cricket history by becoming the first player ever, male or female, to play 200 T20 International (T20I) matches. The Indian captain achieved this incredible milestone on Sunday, 21 June 2026, during a crucial ICC Women's T20 World Cup match against South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester. Before walking out onto the Old Trafford field, the entire Indian squad and coaching staff gathered in a tight team huddle. Her teammates presented her with a custom commemorative Indian jersey and cap. The jersey featured the number "200" boldly printed on the back.The cap and jersey were personally signed by every member of the World Cup squad.

Just weeks before this World Cup, she became only the second Indian woman and the third

player globally to cross 4,000 career runs in T20Is. She scored India’s first-ever T20I century by a woman with a blazing hundred against New Zealand during the 2018 World Cup opener. She is India's highest run-scorer in Women's T20 World Cup history, accumulating over 762 runs across her tournament appearances. In 2016, her explosive style made her the first Indian cricketer, male or female, to be signed by an overseas T20 franchise when she joined the Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Women's Big Bash League. She was first handed the captaincy armband as a stand-in for Mithali Raj in 2012, before taking over full-time in November 2016. She captained India to its first T20 World Cup final in 2020 and led the team to ODI World Cup glory earlier in 2026.

𝐀 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐊𝐀𝐔𝐑 👏 The India captain receives a special jersey and cap as she becomes the first player to reach the 200-T20I mark 🤩 Watch her in action against South Africa at the #T20WorldCup, broadcast details ➡️… pic.twitter.com/3ZIujsoy4r

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 21, 2026

India Women faces big blow as Smirti Mandhana is dismissed for single score against Proteas Women

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat first. Unlike the slower, used tracks from previous days at Manchester, this game is being played on a completely fresh central pitch. This setup promised a much better carry for the fast bowlers early on, but also offered a very true bounce for batters who could settle in quickly. Smriti Mandhana looked sharp right out of the gate, trying to maximize the powerplay. She hit three elegant boundaries to get to 17 runs off 12 balls.However, her aggressive intent was cut short in the third over. South African pace spearhead Marizanne Kapp, used her signature tight line, hitting a good length just outside off-stump to exploit the fresh pitch.

SMRITI MANDHANA GOES FOR 17 OF 12 BALLS. #SmritiMandhana #INDvsSA #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/lwRI5cCQCP

— Somesh Jangra (@CelebrityGalax) June 21, 2026

Mandhana tried to attack it but mistimed the delivery, sending a catch away. Her departure left India at 29/1, breaking a dangerous opening partnership and forcing India to rebuild earlier than planned. India has entered with 2 wins (over Pakistan and Netherlands). A win here practically seals their spot in the semifinals. South Africa has 1 win and 1 loss, making this a "must-win" for them. Surprisingly, despite playing since the very first edition, this is the first time India and South Africa are facing each other in a Women's T20 World Cup.