India’s Women’s World Cup-winning team narrowly missed out on Laureus glory, with Paris Saint-Germain winning the prestigious Laureus World Team of the Year 2026 award at a grand ceremony held at the Cibeles Palace on Monday, April 20. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team had earned wide recognition. After his victory last NovemberBut it was not enough to secure the top prize.

The Indian team was nominated alongside elite contenders such as the England women’s national football team, the European Ryder Cup team, the McLaren Formula 1 team, the Oklahoma City Thunder and PSG.

PSG’s victory built on an unprecedented 2025 season under coach Luis Enrique. The French giants won six major titles, including a dominant 5–0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final. They also completed a domestic treble – Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trope des Champions, adding the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup to cap off a historic campaign.

How did India’s women fare last year?

India’s Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign was indeed one with ups and downs. With a combination of aggressive batting and disciplined bowling, they made a strong start, registering solid wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan. However, their momentum faltered as three consecutive defeats against Australia, South Africa and England exposed the gap against top rivals.

A major blow came when in-form opener Pratika Raval, who had scored 308 runs, was ruled out with an ankle injury, forcing a shuffle with the arrival of Shafali Verma. Despite the setbacks, India showed remarkable resilience in the knockouts.

They achieved a record target against Australia in the semi-finals and won their first Women’s World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa in the final.

Shafali’s all-round talent and Deepti Sharma’s match-winning performance led to a historic win that captured the nation’s attention.

The Indian women’s team is currently in South Africa, where they are participating in a five-match T20 series. After losing by eight wickets on Sunday, they are now 0-2 behind in the series. India will next tour England for a three-match T20I series and a Test at Lord’s before turning their focus to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, starting on June 12.

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