India women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu for her contributions to the sport. While she received the award in New Delhi, her teammates celebrated the milestone virtually from England, where they are preparing for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
India women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at a Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday. May 25.
Harmanpreet Kaur was one of the recipients of the Padma awards, alongside the likes of Rohit Sharma, Savita Punia, Praveen Kumar, Baldev Singh, K. Pajanivel, Vladimir Mestvirishvili, and Bhagwandas Raikwar for their contributions to the field of sports. Harmanpreet was recognized for her contribution to India women’s cricket and leading the Women in Blue to their maiden ODI World Cup triumph in November last year.
Harmanpreet Kaur had to remain in India for the award ceremony when the rest of the Indian squad departed for England for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will take place on June 14.
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India Squad in England Celebrates Harmanpreet’s Padma Shri Honour
As the Indian women’s squad wasn’t in New Delhi to witness the event in person, they followed the ceremony from England, where they are currently undergoing a training camp in preparation for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
In a video posted by the BCCI Women on its X handle (formerly Twitter), the squad can be seen excitedly watching their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, receiving the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu. As the India captain approached President Droupadi Murmu to accept the award, her teammates cheered and applauded in celebration of her milestone.
After the event, the vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, video-called Harmanpreet and showed the screen to the rest of the squad in the dressing room, and celebrated the proud moment together.
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Before being conferred with the Padma Shri, Harmanpreet Kaur received the Arjuna Award from the Government of India in 2017 for her outstanding achievements in cricket. She was also named Wisden Cricketer of the Year, making history as the first Indian woman to feature on the prestigious list in 2023.
India to Play England T20I Series Before T20 World Cup
Ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India will play the three-match T20I series against England, with each match taking place at Chelmsford, Bristol, and Taunton, respectively, on May 28, May 30, and June 2, 2026.
Following these encounters, India will also play two warm-up matches: against the West Indies on June 8 and tournament hosts England on June 10, both at The County Ground in Derby. The England T20I series and warm-up matches are part of Team India’s preparations for the marquee event.
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The Women in Blue have been clubbed in Group 1 of the tournament, alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, and they will kick off their quest for their maiden T20 World Cup triumph against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14.
After winning the Women’s ODI World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls will look to carry that momentum into the T20 format, aiming to achieve a historic double by adding the T20 World Cup title to their trophy cabinet.
Also Read: PM Modi praises Padma awardees; Arvind Vaidya receives Padma Shri