India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, while interacting with the media ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, responded to a question about her retirement with a strange smile, which led to some heat. The experienced batsman, who will lead India in another global tournament, was present at the joint captains’ press conference before the start of the competition.

India will begin their campaign with warm-up matches against West Indies and England as they aim to end their long wait for a T20 World Cup title.

During the press conference, Harmanpreet was asked about her future in the game and whether she has thoughts of retirement in her mind. The Indian captain replied with a wry smile before turning away the reporter’s question.

“Do you think I should stop?” Harmanpreet asked, causing laughter to echo in the room.

When the journalist clarified that he was only checking, Harmanpreet quipped: “Well, then why are you asking?” His response made the attendees laugh even more and helped lighten the mood during the media session.

beyond the snap

Apart from the humorous exchange, Harmanpreet also reflected on the impact of India’s recent success and how it has contributed to the growth of domestic women’s cricket. The Indian captain highlighted the increase in interest among young girls following the team’s achievements on the global stage.

“We saw it during the World Cup last year when we won. After that, we have seen a massive change,” he said.

“A lot of girls, they are coming to play cricket, and I think a lot of things change when we do well, and hopefully, we will play our best cricket and try to make an impact on women’s cricket.”

The upcoming tournament is expected to be one of the most competitive editions ever, featuring traditional powers like Australia, India, England and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Ireland return to the competition after missing out on 2024 and arrive with new confidence after a period of steady improvement.

India will officially start their campaign on June 14 against arch-rivals Pakistan and will then play against tournament debutants Netherlands on June 17. South Africa, Australia and Bangladesh are also in their group. Only the top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

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