In a must-win game for the Women In Blue, India stood up and be counted when it mattered and upstaged the others in a long tough chase, but they are used to it. India outplayed New Zealand in all facets of the game. Put into bat first, India rode on centuries from Pratika Rawal, and Smriti Mandhana and a whirlwind half-century from Jemimah Rodrigues to post a massive 340/3 in 49 overs in rain affected game in Navi Mumbai.
While defending the score, India survived the Brooke Halliday show and the others chipping in as an all-round bowling display where everyone took wickets and kept New Zealand relatively quiet as they restricted them to 271/8 to win the match in the end by 53 runs under the DLS method and go through to the last 4.
Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana centuries power India to 340/3 in 49 overs in rain affected game.
Put into bat first, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out to bat for India while Rosemary Mair had ball in hand for New Zealand. Mair started with a decent first over. Jess Kerr took the new ball from the other end. She started with a maiden over. Mair bowled another quiet over. Kerr too kept things tight. Rawal finally broke the shackles as she hit Mair by using her wrists and flicked it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Rawal opened the face of the bat and square drove it past the point fielder for a boundary.
Captain Sophie Devine came into the attack next. She too started her spell with a decent over. Eden Carson came into the attack as spin was introduced into the attack. Mandhana welcomed the bowlers by getting low and sweeping it through deep fine leg region. Devine continued as Mandhana stayed to the leg side of the ball and flashed at it as the ball went away to the fence. Carson continued as Mandhana took the aerial route as she charged down the track to get to the pitch of the ball and smash it over wide long-on for the maximum.
Devine continued as Rawal sat back and pulled it away powerfully over midwicket for a boundary as she got to 1000 ODI runs. At the completion of 10 overs, India were off to a steady start as they made 40/0. Lea Tahuhu came onto bowl next. Rawal cut Tahuhu through backward point and point for a boundary as the 50 came up for India and of the partnership as well.
Amelia Kerr came into the attack next. She started her spell with a decent over. Tahuhu continued and gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Rawal then lofted Tahuhu over mid-on for a boundary. Rawal was on a roll as she hit Tahuhu again down the ground for a boundary past the bowler. Amelia bowled another good over. Jess Kerr continued and bowled a decent over.
Mandhana then smashed Amelia over the ropes as she skipped down the wicket and took it on full and slogged it handsomely over the midwicket fence for the maximum. Rawal then planted her front leg and square drove it with an open bat face past backward point for a boundary. India were 86/0 in 16 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break.
Jess Kerr came back after the break as Mandhana opened the bat face very late and steered it in the gap between backward point and short third for a boundary. Carson returned to the attack as Mandhana slogged it away through wide mid-on for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 17.4 overs. The opening stand was also 100 runs. Mandhana got to yet another fifty in 49 balls her third consecutive fifty in this World Cup. Jess Kerr overstepped but the free hit did not yield anything. Carson continued as Mandhana went up and over mid-on for a boundary. India were 115/0 in 20 overs.
Mair returned to the attack and bowled a tidy over. Devine came back into the attack and bowled a quiet over. Mair continued as Mandhana smashed her by coming down the wicket and pulled it aerially in front of square in the leg side to beat deep midwicket for a boundary. Rawal got to her fifty in 75 balls, her 8th ODI fifty. Mandhana then hit Mair as Mandhana stayed back and just helped it on its way past the diving keeper for a boundary in the fine leg region.
Mandhana hit another boundary off Devine by cutting it past third man for a boundary. Amelia Kerr came back into the attack as Rawal used her feet to step out of the crease and lofted it straight back over the bowler’s head for a boundary. At the completion of 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, India were 147/0 and looked really good out there. Tahuhu came back into the attack as Rawal took her on and lofted it over midwicket for a boundary as the 150-run stand came up between Rawal and Mandhana. Amelia continued and thought she had gotten rid of Mandhana as the umpire raised the finger. But the review was taken by the batter and she got the decision back in her favour.
Tahuhu continued as Rawal leaned into the square drive as the ball raced away for a boundary. Rawal then pulled her in front of square as the ball went away to deep square leg fence. Amelia Kerr continued as Mandhana took her on as she got down on one knee and slog swept it right off the middle of the bat and launched it over cow corner for the maximum. Mandhana slog swept past backward square leg for a boundary.
Suzie Bates came into the attack next. Mandhana waited on the back foot and guided it between backward point and short third man for a boundary. After 30 overs, India were 188/0. Jess Kerr continued and Mandhana reached her 14th ODI hundred and her first in this year’s World Cup. India were 192/0 in 31 overs at the Drinks Break. Bates continued and bowled a decent over. Jess Kerr continued as Rawal got down on one knee and helped it on its way over short fine leg for a boundary. The 200 came up for India and of the partnership as well.
Mandhana dispatched Kerr away by pulling the high full toss over square leg for the maximum. The no ball was called, but the free hit yielded a single run. Bates then finally broke the opening stand as she removed Mandhana for 109 off 95 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes to her name. Flighted delivery on the stumps, Mandhana got down on one knee and went for a slog sweep but got a top edge. She skied it in the deep and midwicket region. Rowe on the boundary line settled underneath it and grabbed it safely after a bit of a juggle. Jemimah Rodrigues came out to bat next.
Amelia came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Devine returned to the attack as Rodrigues caressed through the covers for a boundary. Rawal then played a delightful drive through cover point for a boundary. Amelia continued as Rodrigues played a cheeky shot by shuffling across and lapping it fine for a boundary. Bates continued and bowled a miserly over.
Mair continued as Rawal completed her maiden hundred in ODI World Cups as she got there in 122 balls. Rawal then launched Mair by pumping the ball as she picked it up early and whacked it over midwicket for the maximum. Bates continued as Rawal was given a reprieve as Maddy Green dropped her after running from long-on. Bates appealed for LBW against Rodrigues but the umpire said no and the review was burnt as well. At the completion of 40 overs, India were 254/1.
Jess Kerr continued as Rodrigues took her on by hitting her for back-to-back boundaries over mid-off and then through backward point as well. The 50-run stand came up between the two batters. Rodrigues then took on Bates by driving it crisply through the covers for a boundary. Rodrigues again hit Bates between deep midwicket and long-0n for a boundary. Amelia came back into the attack as Rawal clubbed her down the ground over the bowler’s head for the maximum.
Amelia bounced back and got rid of Rawal for 122 off 134 balls with 13 fours and 2 sixes to her name. Rawal tossed it up leg break outside off-stump. Pratika stepped out of the crease again and looked to lift it over wide long-off fence but got it off the toe end of the bat. She failed to get the required power. Rowe out on the boundary line ran to her left and dived to grab it. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to bat next.
Carson bowled a tidy over. Amelia Kerr continued as Rodrigues planted her front leg and drove it crisply in the gap between covers and cover point for a boundary as Jemimah reached her half-century in 38 balls. 300 came up for India in 44.5 overs as India were 302/2 in 45 overs. Carson returned as Rodrigues changed her stance and brought out the reverse sweep as he played it fine and beat shot third to her left. Jemimah two balls later whacked away by going inside out over covers for a boundary.
Rodrigues went deep in the crease and cut it hard past the left of backward point for a boundary. Mair came back into the attack as Gaze dropped a tough catch. Kaur then waited for it and punched it between backward point and cover point for a boundary. Bates came back and bowled a decent over as India reached 329/2 in 48 overs when heavens opened up and play was delayed for an hour and 20 minutes and the game got reduced to 49 overs a side.
Rosemary Mair bowled that over after the resumption of play. Rodrigues stepped down and slammed it aerially down the ground for a boundary as Green dropped another catch. Mair then dismissed Kaur for 10 off 11 balls with a boundary to her name. Mair bowled short and wide outside off-stump with width offered. Kaur reached for it and slashed it away from the toe end of her blade. Carson at backward point dived and took the catch.
Richa Ghosh came to play the final ball of the innings and got the thick outside edge past the keeper and away to the third man fence for a boundary. Richa remained unbeaten on 4 off 1 ball with a boundary to her name. Rodrigues remained unbeaten on 76 off 55 balls with 11 fours to her name. 19 extras given by the fielding side. India finished with 340/3 in 49 overs.
It was a hard day for the New Zealand bowlers. Rosemary Mair got a wicket and so did Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr. The rest remained wicketless and went for a bit of runs. As faith would have it. Rain came back to disrupt proceedings and reduced the match further to 44 overs a side contest. The revised target according to DLS was now 325 in 44 overs.
All-Round bowling performance sends India into the semi-finals.
Chasing a revised target of 325 in 44 overs, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer came out to bat for New Zealand while Renuka Singh Thakur had ball in hand for India. Renuka bowled a good first over. Kranti Gaud had ball in hand from the other end. Gaud struck early as she removed Suzie Bates for 1 off 6 balls. Gaud banged it in short into the wicket around the fifth stump. Bates walked down the track and looked to play the pull shot. She was late on that one and got a top edge which went straight up in the air. Rawal at cover point moved to her left and grabbed a simple catch. Amelia Kerr came out to bat next and got off the mark with brace.
Renuka bowled another tight over. Gaud continued as Plimmer smashed down the ground as the width was offered as it was pumped down the ground for a boundary. Renuka bowled another quiet over. Gaud continued as Plimmer was dropped by Gaud only off her own bowling. Plimmer then broke the shackles by hitting Thakur for consecutive boundaries to fine leg region. Amelia joined the party as well by driving the ball through mid-on for a boundary.
Gaud continued as Plimmer walked across to her right and pulled the ball in front of square with disdain. Sneh Rana came onto the attack next. Plimmer ran down the track and swung it away over long-on for the maximum. Plimmer gently clipped it away to short fine leg and backward square leg for a boundary. The powerplay ended at this stage with the score at 50/1 in 9 overs.
Thakur changed ends as the 50-run partnership came up between the two players. Renuka then struck for India as she removed Plimmer for 30 off 25 balls with 5 fours and a maximum to her name. Renuka bowled a length delivery outside off-stump. Plimmer walked across and looked to heave it over midwicket but she only managed an inside edge into the stumps. Captain Sophie Devine came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary by driving it through extra cover for a boundary. India were 55/2 in 10 overs.
Nallapureddy Charani came into the attack next. She started with a decent over. Renuka struck big as she removed Sophie Devine for 6 off 9 balls with a boundary to her name. Thakur bowled full and swinging it sharply, Devine attempted to drive it down the ground but the ball went past the inside edge and hit the leg stump. Brooke Halliday came out to bat next. Thakur gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Charani bowled a quiet over.
Deepti Sharma came into the attack next. She was welcomed into the attack by Amelia slapped down the track and thumped it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Halliday joined in the fun as she got to the pitch of the ball and drove it straight down the ground for a boundary. Charani continued as Amelia stepped out and slammed it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Deepti bowled another tight over.
Rana returned to the attack as Amelia opened the face of the bat and guided it past short third man for a boundary. Charani continued as Halliday stepped out and lofted it over top of mid-on for a boundary. Halliday got down on one knee and connected the reverse sweep past the right of short third man for a boundary. The 100 came up for New Zealand in 17.5 overs Rana continued and bowled a quiet over. Gaud returned to the attack as Halliday helped it on its way past fine leg fence for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between the two players. New Zealand were 111/3 in 20 overs.
Rana continued as Halliday got a reprieve as Rodrigues dropped a tough chance at deep midwicket. Rana then got rid of Amelia for 45 off 53 balls with 4 fours to her name. Rana bowled it full and wide of off-stump. Amelia went for the slog sweep but she failed to get elevation. The ball travelled quickly to short midwicket where Mandhana took a sharp catch. Maddy Green came out to bat next. Gaud continued and bowled a decent over. New Zealand were 116/4 in 22 overs as we paused for the Drinks Break.
Rana continued after the break and bowled a miserly over. Gaud continues as Green hit her for back-to-back boundaries first through extra cover and mid-off and then through mid-on. Rana continued as Halliday reverse swept it away behind point for a boundary. New Zealand reached 137/4 in 25 overs as Pratika Rawal came into the attack next. Rawal bowled a quiet good first over. Charani returned to the bowling attack as Halliday powered it over shoulder of Charani for a boundary at mid-off.
Rawal continued and got rid Green for 18 off 20 balls with 2 fours to her name. Rawal bowled the length ball around off-stump. Green stepped down the track and swung her bat across the line. She got a top edge which went straight up in the air. Gaud at extra cover moved to her right and took a good catch. Isabella Gaze came out to bat next. Charani continued as Halliday reached her fifty with a brace as she got there in 59 balls. Rawal continued and bowled a tidy over. New Zealand were 159/5 in 30 overs.
Deepti continued and bowled a miserly over. Rana continued as Halliday took the aerial route and got down on one knee to slog sweep it past deep midwicket for a boundary. Halliday shuffles across the stumps and slogged it away between the gap of long-on and deep midwicket for a boundary. Deepti continued as Gaze reverse swept it past short third man for a boundary. Gaze survived a close run out chance at the bowler’s end by the barest of margins. Gaze again survived a scare as the direct hit did not hit the stumps.
Gaud returned to the attack as Gaze took the attack to Gaud by hitting it past mid-on and then through fine leg region. New Zealand reached 167/5 in 34 overs. Deepti continued as Gaze swung hard to deep midwicket where Gaud dropped the catch and the ball went away for a boundary. Gaze again hit Deepti by reverse sweeping it behind point for a boundary. Halliday launched Deepti by slog sweeping it over deep midwicket for the maximum as the 200 came up for New Zealand in 35 overs.
Charani returned to the attack as Halliday shimmied down the track and lofted it over mid-off for a boundary. Rawal came back and was hit for a boundary by Gaze as she swung it to deep midwicket for a boundary. Deepti returned and bowled a quiet over. Charani then got rid of the form batter Halliday for 81 off 84 balls with 9 fours and a maximum to her name.
Charani bowled full and turning in, Halliday came down the wicket and looked to go big but she mistimed it to long-on where Sneh Rana took the catch calmly. Jess Kerr came into the attack next and got off the mark as well. Rana continued as Gaze took Rana on by hitting her for two consecutive boundaries hitting her through deep square leg and deep midwicket. Then she reverse swept it between short third man and backward point for a boundary. New Zealand reached 238/6 in 40 overs.
Charani continued as Gaze reached her maiden ODI fifty by hitting a boundary past wide long-on for a boundary. She got to her fifty in 39 balls. Jess took on Charani by sweeping it between deep square leg and deep midwicket for the maximum. Deepti came back into the attack as Kerr cleared long-on by going down the track over wide long-on for the maximum.
Gaud continued as Gaze shuffled across and scooped it over short fine leg for a boundary. Kerr fell to Gaud for 18 off 13 balls with 2 sixes to her name. It was a length ball outside off-stump with width offered. Kerr threw her hands at it. She slashed it uppishly where Mandhana moved to her right at backward point for a sharp catch. Rosemary Mair came out to bat next. Mair survived as the keeper missed the stumping.
Deepti eventually dismissed Mair for 1 off 3 balls. Deepti bowled a full around middle and leg stump. Mair got down on one knee and looked to tonk it over wide long-on fence. She mistimed it from the toe end of her blade. Mandhana at wide long-on settled underneath and grabbed a simple catch. So, New Zealand ended with 271/6 in 44 overs. Gaze remained unbeaten on 65 off 51 balls with 10 fours to her name. 6 extras given by the fielding side.
All the Indian bowlers bowled well. Renuka Singh Thakur finished with 2/25 in 6 overs. Kranti Gaud finished with 2/48 in 9 overs. Sneh Rana chipped in with 1/60 in 8 overs. Nallapureddy Charani finished with 1/58 in 9 overs. Deepti Sharma finished with 1/57 in 8 overs. Pratika Rawal chipped in with 1/19 in 4 overs. So, India won by 53 runs under the DLS method. Smriti Mandhana was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead.
It’s the last round of league fixtures starting from 24th October 2025. We go to Colombo for one final time this season. It will be Sri Lanka vs Pakistan from Colombo and it will be a blockbuster game. Rain is a factor, but it can’t be helped. Sri Lanka are now out and playing for pride now.
Let us wait and see how the last round of fixtures goes and how it will affect the selection of the other teams including India.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: Smriti Mandhana’s Puissant Ton Stuns New Zealand