BCCI To Review Harmanpreet Kaur’s Captaincy Following India’s Exit from Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

India’s exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 has left fans and experts stunned. Heading into the tournament as one of the favorites, the Women in Blue were expected to make a deep run. However, they only managed to finish third in Group A after winning just two out of their four group stage matches.

Losses to Australia and South Africa proved to be critical, especially their narrow nine-run defeat to Australia in Sharjah on October 13, which left their fate hanging on the final group match. Despite their spirited efforts in previous games, India fell short when it mattered most.

India’s hopes were resting on New Zealand’s clash against Pakistan, needing a specific result to stay in contention. Unfortunately, New Zealand crushed Pakistan by 54 runs, eliminating India from the competition. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially for a team that had shown great potential throughout the year.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s Journey as Captain

Harmanpreet Kaur took over the reins of India’s T20I team in 2016, following in the footsteps of some legendary players. Her powerful batting and fearless leadership style helped India reach new heights, including the semi-finals of the 2018 and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cups and the final of the 2020 edition.

Harmanpreet’s tenure has been a mix of success and disappointment. Leading India to the 2020 final was a major highlight, but the team’s inability to cross the final hurdle, coupled with inconsistent performances in key tournaments, has led to increased scrutiny.

While there has been mounting criticism of her leadership, especially after the 2024 World Cup exit, Harmanpreet continues to have a strong fan base and support within the team. Many believe that the responsibility of India’s poor performance should not fall solely on her shoulders, as cricket is a team sport where multiple factors play a role in success or failure.

BCCI’s Next Steps

According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold a critical meeting before the announcement of the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. The meeting, involving the selection committee and head coach Amol Muzumdar, will focus on Harmanpreet Kaur’s future as captain.

“The BCCI will certainly discuss whether to have a new captain on board going ahead. The Indian board has provided everything that the team wanted, and we feel it’s high time a new face leads the team going ahead. Harmanpreet will continue to be an important member of the team, but the BCCI feels it’s time for transition,” a source was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Possible replacements for the captaincy could include players like Smriti Mandhana, who has been a consistent performer and is seen as a strong leader within the team. Another name floating around is that of Shafali Verma, though her youth and inexperience could work against her in the short term.