Two-time WPL champs Mumbai Indians’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur says her team’s winning mentality keeps them in good stead to lift third title; MI vs RCB kick off new season on Friday
Mumbai Indians head coach Lisa Keightley (left), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (centre), and bowling coach Jhulan Goswami during a press conference at a city hotel on Wednesday. Pic/Atul Kamble
Having led India to its maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at the DY Patil Stadium just a couple of months back, Harmanpreet Kaur is keen to carry that trophy-winning form into the Women’s Premier League (WPL) which begins in Navi Mumbai on Friday.
The two-time WPL-winning Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper insists her team is aiming for their third WPL crown. “Whenever I go on the field, I tell my team that I want to win the trophy. This new year [2026] starts with the WPL and I have the same energy and excitement going into the tournament. We have the same mindset. We have won two [WPL] trophies in the last three seasons. And we want to play well this season and win the trophy again,” Harmanpreet said during MI’s pre-season press conference at a city hotel on Wednesday.
Champs face RCB at Nerul
Defending champions MI begin their campaign against Smriti Mandhana’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Interestingly, Punjab-born Harmanpreet, who used to work for Western Railway in the city around 10 years ago, reckoned Mumbai holds a special place due to its positive vibes. “My first job [WR] was in Mumbai, so it’s a very special city for me because whenever I get a chance to play here, I always get positive results. I’m sure this season is also going to be very special. I’m really happy that last season and last year turned out to be very good overall for women’s cricket. I hope this year also starts the same way,” she added, going on to praise the MI team management instilling a winning mindset in the team.
“Wherever I go, I want to think about winning because participation [in World Cups] we’ve been doing for so many years, so that doesn’t change anything. But if you go in with a winning mindset and work towards that, it can bring a lot of things to you and to your country. WPL brought about many changes in me, especially in the thinking aspect because before that, there would always be some limitations, but when I came here and worked with MI, things changed. MI [men’s team] have been winning the IPL for so many years and that winning mindset came in me when I began sitting with them [MI team management]. They’re always thinking about what best we can do to beat any team or to win the title. That’s what has changed for me,” Harmanpreet added.
All-women support staff
Meanwhile, MI head coach and Australia’s two-time World Cup-winner Lisa Keightley is mighty pleased to be working with an all-female support staff. The MI support staff comprises former India pacer Jhulan Goswami (mentor and bowling coach), ex-India cricketer Devika Palshikar (batting coach), ex-Australia batter Nicole Bolton (fielding coach) and ex-Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams (spin bowling coach). “To have a full female coaching panel is really exciting and something different for me. We’re giving an opportunity to females across the world to actually see females in the coaching space so that’s nice,” said Keightley.
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Mumbai Indians’s win-loss record in the WPL under Harmanpreet
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