For years, the challenge for Indian women’s cricket wasn’t a lack of talent, but the absence of a strong pathway between domestic and international cricket. Reflecting on this gap, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared, “There was a very big gap between the domestic cricket and international cricket standards,” a gap that made it difficult for players to transition seamlessly. She further highlighted in the iQOO Quest Talk podcast the impact of this disconnect, adding, “Before WPL it was not easy for a domestic player to adapt and settle quickly in the international circuit because of the lack of experience of big stage matches.”
Despite the evident need, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) took time to materialize. In a recent episode of the iQOO Quest Talk podcast, Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, spoke with Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, about the uncertainty and disappointment surrounding the delay of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). “The WPL conversation was going on for a long time, but for some reason things were not moving forward, and that time we were feeling sad about why they are not trusting us,” she said. She also pointed to the core concern that delayed its rollout, noting that “the management was concerned of the low bench strength and if they could make teams based on the number of players we have,” underlining the long-standing hesitation around depth in Indian women’s cricket.
That perception began to shift with the arrival of the WPL in 2023. Drawing parallels with the IPL’s impact on men’s cricket, Harmanpreet emphasized how the league unlocked a deeper talent pool. “We saw a lot of talent coming up through IPL, so we always thought once WPL starts we will also get a lot of talented Indian players which will help in making the bench strength strong,” she shared.
More importantly, the WPL has transformed the mindset and professionalism of emerging players, an impact now visible on the biggest stage. “The Indian players coming from WPL have a totally different mindset, with well-planned routines that make them great professionals,” said Harmanpreet Kaur.
Podcast Link- https://surli.cc/nkmpxh
Teaser 1 Link- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/q8r3UfccmmU
Teaser 2 Link- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/750oPYavHwM
“We shut out the trolls and stayed united”: Harmanpreet Kaur on India’s World Cup winning mindset
Long before the final moment arrived, the belief was already built within the team. For Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the 2023 World Cup victory was as much about mindset as it was about performance. “Since my childhood I have always dreamed and visualized of leading an Indian team to a World Cup win,” she shared, adding, “I think my manifestation about this was so strong that we could create history with the World Cup win.” That belief wasn’t just personal, it became a collective vision that drove the entire squad.
In a recent episode of the iQOO Quest Talk podcast, Harmanpreet opened up to Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, about the world cup journey and trolling they were facing when losing matches. “We lost 3 league matches in a row and still the team was united and had a positive mindset of winning all the remaining games,” Harmanpreet recalled. She emphasized how the team shut out external noise, saying, “There was a lot of talk in the media… but no one in the team was bothered about it, we all as a team were just visualizing the picture of us lifting the trophy.” That unwavering belief became the turning point in their campaign.
As the tournament progressed, visualization turned into execution. “We have already played the remaining matches in our head so many times that it felt like we were just going on the ground and repeating the same,” she said, underlining the team’s mental preparation. At the heart of this success was a strong sense of unity. “Trusting each other in the team and having self-belief was the main ingredient of the successful World Cup 2023 campaign,” she added, highlighting the culture that powered India’s run to the title.
The final itself delivered a moment that will be remembered for years. “I have taken a lot of catches in my life but the World Cup 2023 finals winning catch is the best,” Harmanpreet said, recalling the decisive play. Backing her bowler till the very end, she shared, “During Deepti Sharma’s last over, I was backing her to handle the pressure… and finally the catch came to me.” For Harmanpreet, the win was a culmination of belief, preparation, and destiny, one that even extended beyond the field.
