'Don't be scared of...': Gambhir's message to Harmanpreet Kaur's brigade ahead for Women's T20 World Cup campaign

The stage is set for the high-stakes India versus Pakistan clash in a crucial group-stage encounter of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Birmingham's Edgbaston stadium on June 14.

You're going to make 140 crore Indian proud: Gambhir

To mark the occasion and rally support ahead of the big game, BCCI shared a special video on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. The video features powerful messages from key figures in the Men’s cricket team, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, ODI skipper Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and the newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer. Together, they offered words of wisdom and shared their experiences to inspire the Women's squad.

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Head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed immense faith in Harmanpreet Kaur-led side, stating his profound belief that they will make crores of Indian cricket fans proud. Reminding the players that they belong to a selective elite who have earned the privilege to represent the country, Gambhir advised the team to maintain a positive approach and play fearlessly on the world stage.

“I'm sure that you're going to make 140 crore Indian proud. Not many people get the opportunity to represent the country on the world stage. Don't be scared of making a mistake. Every time you're in doubt, take the positive route. Good luck, bring the cup home,” Gautam Gambhir said through the video.

Rohit, Gill, Shreyas, Iyer too have a message for Women in Blue

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, who led the Men in Blue to a T20 World Cup 2024 title triumph, highlighted that the women’s team has previously come incredibly close to ultimate glory in this format. However, he firmly believes they now have the perfect opportunity to finish that uncompleted business, especially given their strong performances in recent times. Sharma emphasized that with a well-balanced and solid core squad, Harmanpreet and her team possess all the necessary elements to make a massive impact in this year’s tournament.

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Joining the chorus of support in the same video, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Ishan Kishan also extended their best wishes to the Women in Blue as they kick off their campaign in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.

“They've been playing really good cricket for the past few years now. I know in T20 cricket they've come very close, but I want this time around to go all the way. Everyone's rooting for them. They have a solid team, a very well-balanced team. And they'll enjoy playing in England. Best wishes from all of us here in Men's Team India,” Rohit said.

"You guys have won it before, and you'll do it again," Gill stated.

"Here's wishing all the very best to the Indian women's cricket team," Iyer said.

"I think just take it as another game. You all have been doing so well throughout the season, I feel. You have been playing amazing cricket. So just keep it simple, trust what you have done throughout the year," Ishan said.

Talking about India's Women's T20 World Cup campaign, following their high-voltage clash with Pakistan, they will move on to face the Netherlands on June 17. The tournament's momentum will then build toward a crucial showdown against South Africa on June 21. Finally, India will wrap up their remaining group-stage fixtures by going head-to-head with Bangladesh on June 25, followed by a major encounter against Australia on June 28.