Shikha Wants Harmanpreet Kaur to Bat Higher as India’s Semi-Final Hopes Hang by a Thread
Former pacer Shikha believes India captain Harmanpreet Kaur should be promoted up the order and play freely ahead of a must-win game against Bangladesh.
By SportCricket Desk · 24 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
With India’s semi-final chances in the balance, former pacer Shikha has voiced concern about captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s strike rate in the middle order. She suggests moving Harmanpreet up the batting order to increase her impact.
A suggested reshuffle
Shikha also proposed that Jemimah Rodrigues could bat lower, which would free Harmanpreet to score quickly instead of having to rebuild the innings after early wickets.
In her view, Harmanpreet is most dangerous when she plays naturally and is not weighed down by the need to stabilise the innings. She should first settle in and then unleash her full range of strokes, especially against spin, where she has traditionally excelled.
Dangerous once set
Shikha said that once Harmanpreet is set, she becomes a different batter altogether, able to dominate attacks with her trademark straight drives and powerful hits over the leg side. A fluent innings from the captain could be decisive in India’s attempt to reach the knockouts.
Must-win against Bangladesh
India now face Bangladesh in a must-win match, and Harmanpreet is expected to lead from the front in one of the most important games of the tournament for the team.
