India women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar has stood up for captain Harmanpreet Kaur, dismissing suggestions of pressure on the experienced campaigner ahead of India’s vital league-stage Women's World Cup
2025 clash against New Zealand at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 23.
India started the tournament with back-to-back wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. However, they have embarked on a three-match losing streak since then. A loss for the Women in Blue on Thursday will all but end their hopes of progressing to the semi-finals.
While the pressure is increasing on Harmanpreet and her team, Muzumdar said that the 36-year-old knows how to lead through this difficult phase. He also praised Harmanpreet for how she has captained the Indian team in the last couple of years.
“I don’t think it is about any kind of pressure. She’s been leading fantastically. If you look at her record in bilateral series before this World Cup, it’s been outstanding. She has guided the team through different challenges and done remarkably well," Muzumdar said during the pre-match press conference.
After a slow start to the tournament with the bat, Harmanpreet smashed a belligerent 70 off as many balls against England in the last game. While Muzumdar admitted that there have been instances of missed opportunities with Harmanpreet, he predicted that a significant performance from the veteran is imminent.
“Yes, she got into her groove last game and could have converted that start into a hundred, which would have been ideal. But knowing Harman, she’s put in the hard yards, and hopefully it all clicks in the next couple of games," he added.
Both India and New Zealand have four points after playing five matches in the Women's World Cup. Only one spot is left in the semi-finals, with Australia, South Africa, and England already booking their spots. The winner of Thursday's clash will have one foot in the knockouts.
