‘It's only about what we can do’ - Harmanpreet Kaur outlines India's approach for must win encounter against Australia

India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur has acknowledged the challenge of facing Australia in a virtual quarter-final at Lord's but insisted that her side is focused on its own strengths ahead of the crucial ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 clash on June 28. 

With India needing a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive, Harmanpreet said the team has drawn confidence from its recent T20I series victory in Australia, while also making it clear that the six-time champions remain a formidable force even after Alyssa Healy's retirement.

Speaking ahead of the much-aniticipated contest, Harmanpreet reflected on India's recent success against Australia on their home soil and said it has given the team belief heading into the World Cup showdown.

"We recently played a T20I series against Australia on their home soil, and we performed well. That series gave us confidence. It's not that after Alyssa Healy's retirement, Australia have become weaker. They are still a very strong side. They have a deep pool of players and a system that keeps producing quality cricketers. One player leaving doesn't change that," Harmanpreet said on JioStar's ‘Champions Huddle’.

The India skipper also had words of praise for Australia captain Sophie Molineux, highlighting her calmness under pressure and understanding of the Australian setup.

"Sophie Molineux is a great captain too. She leads from the front and knows how to get the best out of her players. She is calm under pressure and reads the game well. She has been part of this Australian setup for a long time, so she understands the dynamics of the team. Under her leadership, they will be well prepared. But we have always played good cricket against them. We have always given them tough competition in big tournaments. The mindset remains the same, we will give our best, work hard, and try to dominate them in every department. We know they are a strong team, but we also know we have the ability to match them," she continued.

Harmanpreet emphasized that while Australia's achievements command respect, India's preparation is centered around its own execution rather than getting caught up in the opposition's reputation.

"We know Australia have great cricketers. They have world-class players in every department. But we don't spend too much time thinking about them. We focus on our own skills. We talk about what we need to do on the match day, our batting plans, our bowling lengths, and our fielding standards. We discuss how we can execute our skills under pressure. We know what Australia have achieved in the past, but that doesn't matter when we step onto the field. It's only about what we can do and how we can deliver to win that match. So, we keep the focus on ourselves. We talk about our strengths and how we can use them against them. That is what we will continue to do," she concluded. 

A win against Australia, and India give themselves a good chance of qualifying for the semifinals. But, if they lose, their qualification will depend on the match between South Africa and Bangladesh.