Star cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur has said that the landscape of women's cricket is visibly changing following India's historic Women's ODI World Cup triumph, and that the team is determined to keep adding trophies. She was speaking on November 13, 2026, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, where a wax statue of her was unveiled alongside those of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni.

Harmanpreet led India to their first-ever Women's ODI World Cup title on November 2, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final, with Harmanpreet herself taking the final catch to seal the victory, dismissing South Africa's Nadine de Klerk in the 46th over. The triumph came after India had overcome three consecutive group-stage defeats during the tournament, including a win over Australia on their way to the final.

With that victory, Harmanpreet became the first Indian woman to lift the ICC ODI World Cup as captain, and only the third Indian captain overall to achieve the feat. She described the achievement as the culmination of years of collective effort, saying,

"For me, it was a very big achievement. I think it was the hard work of so many years, and there was always just one dream—to make India win the World Cup. And when we won it, a very big dream came true, and I'm sure that in the coming times, we will keep winning trophies like this," Harmanpreet told reporters as quoted by The Tribune.

What does Harmanpreet's wax statue honour mean to her?

The unveiling of Harmanpreet's wax statue in Jaipur placed her in distinguished company. The statue stands alongside those of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and former India men's captain MS Dhoni, two of the most celebrated figures in Indian cricket history. The occasion drew a large number of young fans and aspiring cricketers, reflecting the growing profile of women's cricket in the country.

Harmanpreet was candid about where she sees herself relative to Tendulkar and Dhoni, acknowledging the honour while remaining grounded. She also used the occasion to speak directly to the young fans present, encouraging them to dream big.

"See, I think they are very great cricketers. I am still not at that level, but for me, it is a very big achievement that my statue is being made, and I'm sure that upcoming cricketers will get even more motivation from this and will be able to do well for the country," Harmanpreet added further.

"See, I think everyone should dream. When I started playing too, first of all, I had the biggest dream of representing the country. And I'm sure today here also, so many young kids have come who look so excited, and today by meeting them I can motivate them, and in the coming times, they will also motivate future generations," she added.

How does the 2025 World Cup win compare to India's 1983 men's triumph?

At the Jaipur event, Harmanpreet drew a direct parallel between India's 2025 Women's ODI World Cup victory and the men's team's landmark 1983 World Cup win. She noted that the 1983 triumph fundamentally transformed the culture and reach of men's cricket in India, and expressed confidence that the women's title could have a similarly far-reaching effect. The hope is that the next generation of women cricketers will adopt an aggressive approach and make an impact not just domestically but across the world.

"Yes, definitely. As we saw when India won the World Cup for the first time in '83, after that the whole landscape of men's cricket changed. Similarly, right now the landscape of women's cricket seems to be changing, and I'm sure this is just the beginning; in the coming times, we will do even better," she said.

She also expressed hope that young women cricketers would follow the example set by aggressive, high-impact performers in the game.

"Yes, definitely, like right now he has set an example with the way he is playing cricket. And I'm sure that the new young girls coming up will also play aggressive cricket like this, and across the entire country and the entire world, they will change the image of women's cricket," she concluded.

Harmanpreet relinquished India captaincy across formats with Smriti Mandhana taking over. She continues as a specialist for the team and is still helping the side through valuable contributions and sharing experience with the youngsters around.