Former England captain Nasser Hussain emphasized that Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the India Women’s Cricket Team, needs to deliver in crucial matches, similar to Alyssa Healy for Australia. Hussain noted that while Harmanpreet has a strong World Cup record, she has struggled in the Women’s World Cup 2025, scoring only 71 runs in four matches. In contrast, her teammates Smriti Mandhana (134 runs) and Pratika Rawal (180 runs) have carried the bulk of the batting responsibility.

With India currently fourth in the points table after narrow defeats to South Africa and Australia, Hussain stressed that every remaining match is effectively a knockout. He expects Harmanpreet to lead from the middle order and support Mandhana and Rawal in crucial encounters, including the upcoming clash against England in Indore.

“Like Alyssa Healy, who delivered in big games despite a few low scores earlier, I expect Harmanpreet to rise to the occasion in critical matches,” Hussain said during a JioHotstar Press Room interaction.

Hussain also clarified that India are not overly dependent on their openers. “Harleen Deol has been consistent, and comparing strike rates of openers to middle-order batters can be misleading. India’s batting depth is solid,” he noted.

As Australia has already secured a semifinal berth, the competition for the remaining three spots includes India, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. Wins against England and New Zealand could virtually ensure India’s progression. Hussain highlighted contributions from players down the order like Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma, describing them as key partnership breakers in tense situations.

“Every match now is a knockout. India’s big players must step up, just as Alyssa Healy recently did for Australia,” Hussain added.