Harmanpreet Kaur Biography: It was July 20, 2017. Derby, England. India was wobbling at 35 for 2 in a rain-reduced semi-final against Australia the six-time defending Women’s World Cup champions.
The pitch was damp, the pressure immense, and the odds firmly against India.
Then Harmanpreet Kaur walked to the crease and hit one of the greatest innings ever played in women’s cricket.
An unbeaten 171 off 115 balls. Twenty fours. Seven sixes. Scored while managing a painful shoulder injury.
Her final 71 runs came off just 25 deliveries. Australia were eliminated. India reached the World Cup final at Lord’s for the first time in 12 years.
And the world, which had barely noticed women’s cricket in India, suddenly could not look away.
That evening Harmanpreet said, “Duniya jaag gayi hai” The world has woken up. She was talking about women’s cricket. But she was also announcing herself.
Personal Profile
| Full Name | Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar |
| Date of Birth | 8 March 1989 |
| Age | 36 years |
| Birthplace | Moga, Punjab, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Batter / Off-break Bowler (All-rounder) |
| Batting Style | Right-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm Off-break |
| International Debut (ODI) | 7 March 2009 vs Pakistan |
| International Debut (T20I) | 11 June 2009 vs England |
| ODI Runs | 4,516 in 163 matches |
| T20I Runs | 3,822 in 190 matches |
| Jersey Number | 17 |
| Current Team | India Women (Captain), Mumbai Indians (WPL) |
| Major Awards | Padma Shri (2026), Arjuna Award (2017), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2023) |
| Estimated Net Worth | ₹25–60 crore (approx. $3M–$7M USD) |
Early Life in Moga
Harmanpreet Kaur was born on 8 March 1989 in Moga, where girls playing cricket was rare. Raised in a conservative setting, she grew up hearing “no” from society, but her competitive spirit refused to accept limits.
A supportive father who never treated her differently from a son played a defining role in shaping her fearless mindset.
Family Support and First Steps in Cricket
Harmanpreet Kaur Biography: Her father, Harmandar Singh Bhullar, a court clerk and former club cricketer, became her first coach and strongest defender, even cutting down his old bat to suit her grip.
Her mother, Satwinder Kaur, offered quiet but constant encouragement at home. With no girls’ teams available, Harmanpreet played street cricket with boys, which sharpened her aggressive style.
Spotted by coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi, she was offered free training, equipment, and accommodation at his academy 30 kilometers away the first major step in a journey that would inspire millions.
Domestic Cricket Journey
Harmanpreet Kaur entered Punjab’s senior domestic circuit in 2006–07 and quickly gained recognition as a powerful middle-order batter who could also contribute with off-spin.
Her consistent performances earned national attention, and by 2013 she was trusted with stand-in ODI captaincy, highlighting her emerging leadership qualities.
In 2014, under the guidance of former India captain Diana Edulji, she moved to Mumbai to join Indian Railways, one of the strongest teams in domestic cricket.
Balancing her role as an Office Superintendent at Western Railway with early morning practice sessions, she developed greater discipline and tactical sharpness.
After her iconic 2017 World Cup performance, the Punjab government appointed her as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
In 2018, she resigned from Railways to take up the role, marking her transformation from a determined young cricketer into a symbol of pride for her state.
International Debut and Initial Challenges
Harmanpreet made her ODI debut on 7 March 2009 against Pakistan at the age of 20, in a match India won by 10 wickets.
Her T20I debut followed on 11 June 2009 against England. Both debuts came during ICC tournaments, placing her in high-pressure international environments from the very start.
The early years were not easy. She managed just 42 runs across three innings at her first World Cup. Selectors doubted her.
She faced personal setbacks, including being rejected for a Punjab Police job in 2011 even after two years of international cricket a reminder of the financial instability women’s cricketers faced in that era.
But she refused to quit. Working with coaches to refine her technique, she scored her first ODI half-century against England in 2010. The foundation was being laid, one difficult innings at a time.
The 2017 World Cup Breakthrough
Harmanpreet Kaur Biography: No event defines Harmanpreet Kaur more completely than the 2017 Women’s World Cup semi-final against Australia.
India had not reached a final since 2005, and the six-time champions stood between them and Lord’s. On that dramatic afternoon in Derby, with India reeling at 35 for 2, Harmanpreet chose attack over survival.
Her acceleration was breathtaking. She reached her first fifty off 64 balls, the next in just 26, and blasted her final 71 runs in only 25 deliveries, even while battling a painful shoulder injury.
She finished unbeaten on 171 off 115 balls, powering India to 281 for 4 and knocking Australia out of the tournament.
It remains the highest individual score by an Indian in a Women’s World Cup knockout match.
More than a statistic, that innings transformed the visibility of women’s cricket in India.
Television viewership surged, sponsors began investing seriously, and the momentum that would later lead to the creation of the Women’s Premier League can be traced back to that unforgettable evening in Derby.
WPL Journey
When the Women’s Premier League launched in 2023, Harmanpreet Kaur was the natural face of its biggest franchise.
Mumbai Indians made her their first-ever WPL auction pick at ₹1.8 crore, and she rewarded that faith immediately leading MI to the inaugural WPL title and finishing as the team’s second-highest run-scorer with 281 runs.
The 2024 season saw her post a personal-best 95 off 48 balls against Gujarat Giants, though Mumbai were eliminated in the semi-finals.
In 2025, she led MI to their second title with a Player of the Match knock of 66 off 44 balls in the final a classic ‘clutch’ performance under maximum pressure.
The 2026 WPL season may have been her finest in the format. She won the Orange Cap, scoring 342 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 150.66, and became only the second batter in WPL history to cross 1,000 league runs.
She is now the leading Indian run-scorer in WPL history, having surpassed Shafali Verma in January 2026.
As WPL captain, Harmanpreet has won two titles in the first three seasons a record unmatched by any other captain in the league’s short but exciting history.
Captaincy and Leadership Evolution
Harmanpreet Kaur began her leadership journey in 2016 when she was appointed India’s T20I captain, allowing Mithali Raj to focus on her ODI batting.
After Raj’s retirement in 2022, Harmanpreet became India’s all-format captain, carrying the responsibility of leading a new era in women’s cricket.
Her captaincy is defined by fearlessness and empathy. She backs her players, prioritizes process over pressure, and is known for bold instinctive decisions, including a crucial bowling change in the 2025 World Cup final that shifted momentum.
The 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup became her crowning achievement. After painful final defeats in 2017, the 2020 T20 World Cup, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she finally led India to a historic 52-run victory over South Africa, securing the nation’s first senior Women’s World Cup title.
Her match-defining 89 in the semi-final against Australia powered India to a record 339-run chase, the highest successful chase in Women’s ODI history.
By early 2026, she also became the most successful T20I captain in terms of wins, with 77 victories in 130 matches, surpassing Australia’s Meg Lanning.
Records and Major Achievements
• Most T20 International appearances in world cricket (190 matches and counting), male or female.
• First Indian woman to score a T20I century (103* vs New Zealand, 2018).
• Highest score by an Indian in a Women’s World Cup knockout match (171*).
• Most runs in Women’s ODI World Cup knockout matches (331 runs), surpassing Belinda Clark.
• Most-capped women’s international cricketer in history (357 matches), overtaking Suzie Bates.
• First Indian captain, male or female, to lift a senior ICC World Cup trophy on home soil (2025).
Career Statistics (as of February 2026)
| Format | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | 100s / 50s | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 6 | 200 | 25.00 | 0 / 1 | 12 |
| ODI | 163 | 4,516 | 37.31 | 7 / 24 | 31 |
| T20I | 190 | 3,822 | 29.40 | 1 / 15 | 32 |
Harmanpreet Kaur Net Worth and Brand Endorsements
Following India’s 2025 World Cup triumph, Harmanpreet Kaur saw a major rise in her financial stature.
As of early 2026, her estimated net worth ranges between ₹25 crore and ₹60 crore (approximately $3–7 million).
Her income includes a BCCI Grade A central contract worth ₹50 lakh annually, match fees under the equal pay policy, and a ₹2.5 crore retention deal with Mumbai Indians for the 2026 Women’s Premier League season.
She also received a significant share of India’s World Cup bonus.
Harmanpreet Kaur Net Worth and Brand Endorsements
Post-World Cup, her brand value surged, with endorsements from brands like Punjab National Bank, PUMA, CEAT, and Asian Paints. She reportedly charges ₹10–12 lakh per day for commercial appearances.
Awards and Recognition
• Arjuna Award (2017) – Conferred after her iconic 2017 World Cup performance, recognising outstanding sporting achievement.
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2023) – Became the first Indian woman to receive one of cricket’s oldest and most prestigious honours.
• TIME 100 Next (2023) – Featured among emerging global leaders shaping the future.
• Padma Shri (2026) – India’s fourth-highest civilian award, recognising her historic contribution following the World Cup triumph.
Lesser-Known Facts
• The Number 17: She wears jersey number 17, was born on the 8th (8+9 = 17), and her iconic 171* came 17 years after she began playing serious cricket — a coincidence fans love.
• Football Roots: Before cricket, she was a talented football striker. She credits her leg strength and stamina to her early football training.
• The Sehwag Call: After her 171* innings, her idol Virender Sehwag personally called to congratulate her. She later admitted she was too starstruck to speak properly.
• A Gearhead Captain: She owns a customised vintage Jeep and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, often riding around Moga to unwind.
• The Team Chef: On overseas tours, teammates call her the squad’s “designated chef.” She is famous for her Punjabi Kadhi and insists on making her own masala chai.
• Nickname “Harry”: At the Gian Jyoti Academy, friends shortened her name to “Harry” because “Harmanpreet” was too long to shout during matches.
A Legacy That Changed Indian Women’s Cricket
Harmanpreet Kaur has become the dividing line in Indian women’s cricket history before her, and after her.
Before 2017, the sport struggled for visibility, central contracts, and major sponsorships. After her iconic 171* in the World Cup semi-final, the conversation shifted.
Following the 2025 World Cup triumph, that shift became permanent.
Her legacy lives in the professional contracts young cricketers now receive, in the rise of the Women’s Premier League, and in the thousands of girls inspired to pick up a bat after watching her fearless batting.
As the first Indian woman to score a T20I century and the first Indian captain to lift a senior ICC Women’s World Cup, she has opened doors that will never close again.
Still Leading from the Front
At 36, Harmanpreet remains a dominant force. On India’s 2026 tour of Australia, she has already delivered crucial ODI scores of 53 and 54, proving her consistency at the highest level.
Cricket gave her a stage, but she gave the sport something greater belief. Belief that Indian women’s cricket can be bold, powerful, and unstoppable.
Biography By: Namita Devra
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