Harleen Deol on world champion tag and India's Champions Trophy build-up

India's women have a new global event to chase, and Harleen Deol made it clear on the eve of the Zimbabwe ODI series that the squad is already thinking about it. Speaking in Vadodara on Friday, the batter said the team is keen on the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy. She added that carrying the world champion label means a bit of pressure, but one the group is grateful to have.

Harleen also admitted the build-up is short. The team is still trying out combinations and gathering ideas, she said, and she is not looking too far ahead. Her focus is on using the chances that come India's way. She added that her batting position does not matter to her as long as she adapts to conditions and contributes.

That last point matters because India's middle order has several options. Harleen last played for India in March 2026, in the ODI series in Australia, which India lost 3-0. She is in the probable XI for the Zimbabwe series alongside Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh. Every ODI innings in this series is a chance to show she can hold a place.

The tournament itself has had a turbulent path. The ICC confirmed that India will stage the six-team event from 14 to 28 February 2027, with matches at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka had been the original hosts. The event was moved because Sri Lanka Cricket is still completing governance reforms the ICC asked for. India won the hosting rights after a process that also considered Bangladesh and South Africa.

The format needs a clear note. The Champions Trophy field was decided by the ICC Women's T20I rankings on 6 July. That gave Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka their places. The teams play a round-robin, and the top two meet in the final on 28 February. So the event is a T20I competition, even though India are playing 50-over cricket right now. The Zimbabwe ODIs will not directly test the Champions Trophy format.

India reached the Champions Trophy via a rankings cut-off that came soon after a disappointing T20 World Cup. They lost to Australia at Lord's on 28 June and went out in the group stage for the second tournament running. A home Champions Trophy gives the side a chance to answer that exit in front of their own crowds.

The immediate preparation has gone well. Mandhana, in her first full assignment as captain, led India to a 3-0 sweep of Zimbabwe in the T20I series. It was the first bilateral women's T20I series between the two sides. Nandani Sharma took six wickets in that series, while Kranti Gaud and Niki Prasad took three each. Mandhana has said the conditions in the Zimbabwe series should be similar to those India will face at the Champions Trophy. She also said the varied bowling plans were useful for that reason.

The ODI leg is a different test. It is India's first 50-over series since the March defeat in Australia, and their first ODIs since the World Cup triumph in November 2025. It also marks India's late start to the 2025-29 Women's Championship cycle. Pace bowler Renuka Singh is missing as she builds her workload for the longer format, and Jintimani Kalita is in the squad as her replacement. Deepti Sharma is now vice-captain in ODIs.

For Harleen, the series offers a rare run of 50-over innings in a calm setting. For India, it is a chance to settle the order and give new players a go. The Champions Trophy is only four months away, and the T20I squad that finally lines up for it may look different from the ODI one. Players like Harleen know every innings from here counts.