New Delhi: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has surpassed legendary Mithali Raj in a significant record during the ongoing Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. Leading India in her first 50-over World Cup following Raj’s retirement, Kaur has made her mark in the tournament.
India commenced their Women’s World Cup campaign with victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In their opener on September 30, India triumphed over Sri Lanka by 59 runs (DLS method) and followed this with a solid performance against Pakistan. Although Kaur’s batting has not yet found its rhythm, her leadership on the field remains commendable.
Kaur has overtaken Raj in the all-time list of most catches taken by Indian women in ODIs. Entering the World Cup with a total of 163 catches, she moved ahead of Raj’s 164 by taking two catches during this tournament. Kaur caught Anushka Sanjeewani from Sri Lanka at mid-wicket while defending a score of 269, followed by a catch of Sidra Amin in the match against Pakistan.
Kaur currently stands second on the list for most catches by Indian women in ODIs, trailing only behind Jhulan Goswami, who has taken 69 catches.
Most catches by Indian women in ODIs:
- Jhulan Goswami: 69 catches in 204 matches
- Harmanpreet Kaur: 65 catches in 154 matches
- Mithali Raj: 64 catches in 232 matches
In their match against Pakistan, India showcased a comprehensive batting performance, although no player managed to score fifty runs. Post-match, Kaur acknowledged the team’s areas for improvement but expressed satisfaction with the victories.
“I’m very happy, it was a very important game for all of us, and I’m sure everyone back home is happy as well. Our bowling was great. Kranti bowled really well; she was outstanding, and Renuka helped her get the breakthroughs. We created many chances, unfortunately, we dropped some, but in the end, when you win, you are happy,” Kaur stated.
She added, “It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on. We wanted to bat longer and see how many runs we could get. With the rain, the pitch had a hold. Keeping wickets in hand was key, and Richa batted really well, giving us crucial runs. There are many areas to improve on, but we are glad we won. We will build on this momentum as we return to India, where we know how the pitches play, and consider our team combinations.”
