Watch: Kohli, Shastri in attendance at Lord's for India’s crucial Women's T20 World Cup clash vs Australia

The Indian women’s cricket team received a massive wave of star power at Lord's in London during their high-stakes, final group-stage clash against Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. With their tournament survival on the line, Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad got an incredible moral boost from the stands as former men's captain Virat Kohli arrived to cheer them on.

Kohli, Shastri root for India women's team at Lord's

The equation for the Women in Blue is completely straightforward: they must secure a victory to book their ticket to the semi-finals. Under immense pressure, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to set a target by batting first. As the first innings wound down, the star-studded crowd continued to grow, with former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan and his wife also spotted taking in the action.

Kohli was seen enjoying the match alongside his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, at the historic venue. Seated right next to the high-profile couple was former India head coach and current commentator Ravi Shastri, with the trio closely following every ball. Kohli, who has been spending an extended period living in the United Kingdom with his family, took the opportunity to personally show his solidarity for the national team in their ultimate must-win showdown.

Watch the video here:

Kohli gears up for England tour

Just a few days ago, Virat Kohli was spotted in Bengaluru at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), undergoing rehabilitation for a hamstring injury. The injury, sustained while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final, has kept him sidelined. His current recovery regimen is aimed at getting him fit for India's upcoming ODI tour of England.

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This upcoming series will mark Kohli's return to international cricket after a nearly six-month hiatus, an injury layoff that also forced him to miss the previous assignment against Afghanistan. His return is highly anticipated, given that he was in phenomenal form as the leading run-scorer for the Men in Blue prior to his injury. His presence in the stands at Lord's alongside Ravi Shastri also brings back memories of their highly successful partnership, which peaked during the historic 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory in Australia—India's first series win there in 71 years. While the duo faced challenges in limited-overs formats, their record in Test cricket both at home and abroad remains formidable.

Meanwhile, out on the field at Lord's, the Indian women's team successfully posted a competitive total of 170/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front, delivering a crucial, high-pressure knock of 56 to anchor the innings in this do-or-die encounter. Her timely half-century ensured the Women in Blue have a strong platform to defend their World Cup ambitions.

The responsibility now shifts entirely to the bowling unit on a surface that is expected to play on the slower side. To defend this total against a powerful Australian lineup, the bowlers will need to maintain disciplined lines and strike at regular intervals. Middle-overs specialist Shree Charani, who has been India's standout bowler throughout the tournament, will be the key figure in breaking partnerships and choking the run flow