In what turned out to be a thriller in Indore, England held their nerves and kind of pulled off a heist as they beat India by a mere 4 runs to become the third team after Australia and South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals. England were more determined to win this game and they won this game for sure.
Winning the toss and deciding to bat, England posted 288/8 in 50 overs on the back of a brilliant ton from Heather Knight who scored 109 and others like captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and others chipped in and while India came back with the ball, the score was too formidable to say the least.
In defence of the target, India rode on Smriti Mandhana’s 88 and captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 70 alongside Deepti Sharma’s 50 to be very much in the chase. But India lost the plot in the end overs losing wickets at regular intervals. From a winning position, they crumbled under pressure and deserved to lose in the end. They lost the match by 4 runs by the barest of margins.
Heather Knight’s Swashbuckling Ton Powers England to 288/8
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones came out to bat for England while Renuka Singh Thakur had ball in hand for India. Renuka could have got LBW against Jones but the appeal was turned down and she overstepped. The Free Hit was dealt with by Beaumont as she pulled it hard over midwicket for a boundary. Kranti Gaud took the ball from the other end. Jones got on top of the bounce and beat backward point by cutting the ball for a boundary. Thakur continued and bowled a miserly over.
Gaud continued as Jones clipped away the ball on the pads by flicking it past midwicket for a boundary. Jones then planted her front leg and square drove Gaud through the left of backward point for a boundary. Thakur continued and bowled a tight over. Gaud continued as Beaumont planted her front leg and flicked it wide of mid-on for a boundary. Jones then hit Thakur for a boundary by getting the width and crunching it between covers and cover point for a boundary.
Sneh Rana came into the attack next. and bowled a quiet over. Thakur continued and appealed for LBW against Jones which was not given. India reviewed and the wickets was missing. The decision stood and India lost their review. Rana continued and bowled a decent 10th over as England got off to a steady start at 44/0 in 10 overs after the first powerplay.
Nallapureddy Charani came into the attack next after the powerplay. Charani started by giving six singles off the over. The 50 came up for England and of the partnership as well in 11 overs. Rana bowled a quiet over. Charani continued as Jones climbed onto her by hitting her for consecutive boundaries through short third man and through covers as well. Rana continued and kept things under check.
Gaud should have had the better of Tammy Beaumont via LBW as the appeal was turned down. India decided not to review and to their dismay they saw the replays which showed three reds and it was a case of missed opportunity for India. Drinks was taken with England at 69/0 in 15 overs. Deepti Sharma came into the attack after the Break. Deepti provided the breakthrough for India removing Beaumont for 22 off 43balls with 2 fours to her name. This was also Deepti’s 150th ODI wicket.
Deepti bowled fuller and a tad quicker on the leg stump line. Beaumont got down on one knee and exposed her leg stump. She took a sweep behind the stumps but missed it completely and the ball went onto thud into the stumps. Heather Knight walked out to bat next. Gaud continued as Jones pulled the short ball towards deep midwicket for a boundary. Deepti continued and bowled a good decent over.
Renuka returned for another spell as Jones reached her fifty in style. She got a boundary off 62 balls. Thakur bowled a fuller length on the stumps. The batter whacked it over wide mid-on for a boundary to get to her maiden ODI World Cup fifty. Deepti continued and bowled another decent over as England reached 92/1 in 20 overs.
Renuka continued as Knight cut the short ball away through deep backward point for a boundary. Deepti struck again getting rid of Amy Jones for 56 off 68 balls with 8 fours to her name. Deepti from over the wicket bowled a flighted delivery fuller on the stumps. Jones charged down and flicked it but failed to keep it along the ground as Smriti at short midwicket dived to her right and took a good catch. Nat Sciver-Brunt came out to bat next. Nat got off the mark with a boundary by sweeping it to deep fine leg as the 100 came up for England in 21.4 overs.
Amanjot Kaur came into the attack and started with a poor ball as she bowled a full toss which Nat whipped it past short midwicket for a boundary. Deepti continued and kept things under check. Amanjot continued as Knight played with an open faced bat and ran it down to deep third man for a boundary. At the end of 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, England were 120/2.
Sneh Rana continued as was nicely swept by Knight through deep square leg for a boundary. Kranti Gaud came back into the attack. She delivered a tight over. Rana continued as Knight got down on one knee and slog swept it over forward square leg for a boundary. Gaud continued and bowled a decent over. Charani came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over. At the completion of 30 overs, England were 137/2.
Amanjot returned to the attack and was welcomed back with a boundary by Nat as she bowled another full toss which she slogged it along the ground between mid-on and midwicket for a boundary. Charani continued as Knight got down on one knee and swept it firmly. The deep backward square leg fielder ran after it but the ball won the race as the 50-run stand came up between Knight and Sciver-Brunt. Knight was not done there as she hit Charani by picking the short ball and played the cut shot between backward point and short third for a boundary. England went to the second Drinks Break at 156/2 in 32 overs.
Rana came back into the attack after the break as Knight brought up her fifty in style by getting down on one knee and brought out the reverse sweep past short third man for a boundary as Heather got to her fifty in 54 balls, her 28th ODI fifty. Amanjot returned to the attack and bowled another poor ball bowling down the leg side side, Knight bent her back leg and just helped it on its way to fine leg fence for a boundary. Rana continued as Knight got a streaky boundary away looking to sweep and got the top edge over short fine leg for a boundary.
Knight then reverse swept Rana fine past short third man for a boundary. Charani came back into the attack and Knight took advantage of the ball on legs by sweeping it and got a top edge over short fine leg for a boundary. Deepti returned to the attack as Knight got on top of the bounce and sweeping it along the ground for a boundary. Deepti appealed for LBW against Nat Sciver-Brunt, but the umpire said no. The Indians went upstairs and ball tracking showed the ball missing as India lost both their reviews now.
Gaud came back into the attack as Sciver-Brunt punched it beautifully past diving midwicket fielder for a boundary as the 200 came up for England in 37.3 overs. The 100-run stand came up between the two players as well. Knight got into the act and whipped Gaud away by coming down the wicket and whipped it with her strong wrists over midwicket for the maximum. Charani continued and she broke the stand finally getting rid of Sciver-Brunt for 38 off 49 balls with 4 fours to her name.
Charani tossed it up full just outside off-stump, Nat moved to the leg side and went for a lofted drive over covers. She failed to get the required elevation and her opposite number leaped and took a good catch above her edge at the right on the edge of the circle. Sophia Dunkley came out to bat next. Deepti Sharma returned to the attack and bowled a decent over as England reached 214/3 at the completion of 40 overs and well-placed with 10 overs to go.
Charani continued and bowled a decent over. Deepti continued as Dunkley got the outside edge to deep third man for a boundary. Renuka returned for another spell as Deepti dropped a tough chance at short fine leg. Knight then cut her away by shuffling across and slapping it to deep backward point for a boundary. Knight got to her masterful ton with a streaky boundary past the keeper and away for a boundary as she got a hundred in her 300th International game. She got there in 86 balls and was her third ODI ton. Knight stayed back and cut it nicely to deep point for a boundary.
Rana returned to the attack as Heather Knight was run out for 109 off 91 balls trying to take the second run and falling short at the striker’s end. She hit 15 fours and a maximum to the innings. Emma Lamb came to the crease now and got off the mark straightaway. The 250 came up for England now in 44.4 overs. At the completion of 45 overs, England were 252/4.
Charani continued and she got rid of Dunkley for 15 off 21 balls with a boundary to her name. Charani bowled a full length delivery on the stumps. Dunkley walked down and bent her back knee and went for an inside out shot but didn’t time it well. The ball flew straight down the throat to Deepti at long-off who made no mistake. Alice Capsey came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Deepti continued and got rid of Capsey for 2 off 3 balls. Deepti bowled it fuller and down the leg side after seeing Capsey go for a reverse hit. The batter mistimed the stroke and the cover fielder took the good catch leaping at the right moment. Charlie Dean came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Sneh Rana came to bowl her last over as Dean was put down by Kranti at short third man as another tough chance went down begging. Lamb managed to get a boundary as she swept it to the left of deep backward square leg for a boundary. Rana finished her spell.
Deepti continued as Dean changed her stance and reverse hit to deep cover point for a boundary. Deepti then got rid of Lamb for 11 off 10 balls with a boundary to his name. Deepti bowled a flighted delivery fuller on the stumps. Lamb got down on one knee and aimed to go big over long-on but mistimed the stroke. Mandhana in the deep took an easy catch. Sophie Ecclestone came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway as Deepti finished her spell.
Charani was tasked to bowl the final over of the innings. Sophie Ecclestone was run out for 3 off 3 balls trying to get on strike and fell short at the striker’s end. Linsey Smith came to the crease next. Dean then hit Charani by coming down the track and slapped the full toss towards wide long-on for a boundary. In the end, England finished with 288/8 in 50 overs with Dean remaining unbeaten on 19 off 13 balls with 2 fours to her name. Smith was unbeaten on 0 off 0 ball. 13 extras given by Indian bowlers.
Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4/51 in 10 overs. Nallapureddy Charani chipped in with 2/68 in 10 overs. There were two run outs in the innings. Renuka Singh Thakur finished with 0/37 in 8 overs. Kranti Gaud finished with 0/46 in 8 overs. Sneh Rana bowled a good spell with her 0/56 in 10 overs. Amanjot Kaur finished with 0/26 in 4 overs. This meant India needed a mammoth 289 runs to win off 50 overs to complete a record chase.
Smriti Mandhana’s 88 goes in vain as England hold nerves to eke out a 4-run win and qualify for the semis
Chasing a mammoth 289 runs for the win, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out to open for India while Lauren Bell had ball in hand for England. Bell started with a good first over. Linsey Smith came onto bowl from the other end. Dean dropped a tough catch at mid-on as Rawal got a reprieve. Bell continued as Rawal broke the shackles by shifting weight on the back foot and punched it away for a boundary. Bell got rid of Rawal in the end for 6 off 14 balls with a boundary to her name.
Bell bowled a good length delivery swinging away from the fourth stump line probing the outside edge of Rawal who looked to have a go at it. She tried to punch through the line and got the edge to Jones who made no mistake. Harleen Deol came out to bat next. Smith bowled a miserly over. Bell too bowled another good over. Smith almost got rid of Smriti but Beaumont dropped the catch at square leg. Bell continued as Deol broke her shackles as she tucked away to fine leg for a boundary.
Deol hit another boundary between cover and point for a boundary. Smith kept it tight at one end. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt came into the attack next. Deol hit Nat for a boundary by using her wrist to square of midwicket for a boundary. Charlie Dean came into the attack to bowl the final over of the powerplay. Deol welcomed Dean with a boundary as the batter dabbed it down to short third fielder for a boundary. Deol was not done yet as she came down the pitch of the ball and drove it between mid-off and extra cover for a boundary.
Dean got rid of Deol for 24 off 31 balls with 5 fours to her name. Dean bowled a length delivery turned in nicely to beat the outside edge of the bat as Deol looked to come forward and jam the bat down. Harleen took time to take the review and in the end, did take it but time was up and had to go back to the hut. In the end, fair call as three reds flashed on replays, so the correct call was made. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to bat next as the powerplay ended with India at 42/2 in 10 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt continued as Kaur leaned into the shot and flicked it past midwicket for a boundary. Kaur then got an outside edge off Dean as the ball went away to the short third region for a boundary. The 50 came up for India in 11.1 overs. Nat continued as Kaur flicked her behind square in the leg side as Beaumont misfielded and resulted in four runs. Dean continued as Mandhana climbed onto her by hitting her for back-to-back boundaries through slip cordon and vacant third man region as well.
Sophie Ecclestone came into the attack next. Kaur caressed Ecclestone through the covers by taking a big stride forward and drove it crisply past Nat at short covers for a boundary. Dean bowled a good decent over. At Drinks, India were 80/2 in 16 overs. Sophie continued after the break. Kaur hit Ecclestone by planting her front leg and drove on the up through extra covers for a boundary. Smith continued as Kaur drove again through the covers for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between Mandhana and Kaur.
Sophie continued as Mandhana went deep in her crease and backed away to punch it behind square through backward point region for a boundary. Smith continued as the 100 came up for India in 19.1 overs. Smith kept things tight as India moved onto 104/2 in 20 overs. Ecclestone continued as Mandhana weighed back and punched it square of the wicket through the off-side for a boundary. Smith bowled another decent over. Ecclestone bowled a decent over as well.
Dean thought she had gotten rid of Kaur LBW as the umpire raised her finger. But the batter reviewed and successfully overturned the decision. Dean bowled a very probing over. Lauren Bell came back into the attack and bowled another tight over as after 25 overs at the halfway stage of the chase, India were 125/2. Charlie Dean continued as Mandhana got to her fifty in 60 balls as it was her 34th ODI fifty and second in a row in this tournament. Mandhana managed to get a boundary by cutting it away between backward point and point region for a boundary.
Bell continued as Kaur got a full toss as she put it away through deep extra covers for a boundary. Kaur reached her fifty in 54 balls her 21st ODI fifty. The partnership crossed 100 between Mandhana and Kaur. Smriti then managed to get it away by dabbing it late to guide the ball to the third man region. Nat returned to the attack as Kaur climbed onto her opposite number by smashing her for back-to-back boundaries one over the keeper’s head and the other towards deep midwicket region. Dean continued and bowled a miserly over as India reached 163/2 in 30 overs in the chase.
Sciver-Brunt continued as Kaur opened the bat face and guided it to the right of backward point and short third man region for a boundary. Nat hit back and got rid of Kaur for 70 off 70 balls with 10 fours to her name. Nat bowled a good length delivery outside off-stump. Kaur opened the bat face to guide it past backward point as she played it too fine and ended up guiding it straight to Lamb at short third man who grabbed it inches from the ground. Kaur waited for a while, but the catch was clean and she had to go back to the hut. Deepti Sharma came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Alice Capsey was introduced into the attack. Mandhana showed her deft touch as she stayed deep in her crease and opened the bat face to guide it to short third region. India were 177/3 in 32 overs when we had the second Drinks Break. Nat Sciver-Brunt bowled a quiet over. Capsey too kept things tight. Ecclestone returned as Deepti broke the shackles by planting her front foot and got underneath this one and slogged it over midwicket. Capsey continued as India got to 200 in 36 overs. Ecclestone kept things tight from one end.
Dean gifted 5 wides as a bonus to the batting side. Mandhana then hung back and guided it nicely between backward point and short third man for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between Mandhana and Deepti. Bell came back for another spell. Deepti took him on as he took the front leg out and hit across the line for a boundary. Dean continued and bowled a miserly over. At the completion of 40 overs, India were 227/3 and were on course to win this game.
Bell continued as Sharma picked her slower one low full toss as she was down on her knee to sweep it towards deep backward square leg for a boundary. Linsey Smith came into the attack and she removed the big scalp of Smriti Mandhana for 88 off 94 balls with 8 fours to her name. Smith floated up fuller at the off-stump. Mandhana prod forward and lofted it towards long-off fielder who gobbled the catch with firm hands. Capsey took the catch easily as England roared back in the game. Richa Ghosh came out to bat next and got off the mark.
Ecclestone continued as Deepti broke the shackles by lunging forward and sweeping it towards deep square leg region for a boundary. Sciver-Brunt continued as Deepti flicked it away into the gap between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Ecclestone continued as the 250 came up for India in 44.4 overs. At the completion of 45 overs, India were 253/4 with England at 252/4 at the same stage.
Deepti reached her fifty in 55 balls. Nat Sciver-Brunt struck as she got rid of Richa Ghosh for 8 off 10 balls. Nat bowled it full outside off-stump rolling her fingers on this one. Richa planted her front leg and looked to drive it up and over covers but failed to get the required elevation. She hit it straight to Knight who took a good catch. Amanjot Kaur came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Sophie continued as Amanjot backed away and went deep in the crease to cut it square of the wicket for a boundary.
Sophie delivered the hammer blow as she removed Deepti for 50 off 57 balls with 5 fours to her name. Sophie tossed it up nicely outside off-stump. Deepti’s eyes lit up on seeing it above her eyeline. She shuffled across the stumps and went low and went for a slog sweep. She got plenty of height on this one but not enough distance. Dunkley at deep midwicket settled underneath the high ball and pouched it safely. Sneh Rana came out to bat next.
Linsey Smith bowled a quiet 48th over. Lauren Bell came to bowl the 49th over as Rana took advantage of a low full toss by slogging it across the ground. Linsey from deep midwicket ran to her right and dived to get both hands but the ball went away to the fence beating deep square leg fielder as well. Bell came back and bowled a good over to keep the equation now to 14 off 6 balls.
Smith was given to bowl the last over. Smith stopped the boundaries and gave nothing away. The last ball of the match was hit by Kaur for a boundary by hitting the fuller length delivery outside off as the batter threw her hands at it and sliced it over leaping Beaumont at backward point for a boundary but it did not matter. India finished with 284/6 in 50 overs with Amanjot unbeaten on 18 off 15 balls with 2 fours to her name while Rana made an unbeaten 10 off 9 balls with a boundary to her name. 10 extras given by England as India falls agonisingly short of the target.
The England bowlers held their nerves to win the game. Nat Sciver-Brunt picked up 2/47 in 8 overs. Lauren Bell finished with 1/52 in 9 overs. Linsey Smith finished with 1/40 in 10 overs. Charlie Dean finished with 1/67 in 10 overs. Sophie Ecclestone finished with 1/58 in 10 overs. Alice Capsey finished with 0/20 in 3 overs.
So, England win by 4 runs and become the third team to qualify for the semi-finals. For her amazing innings, Heather Knight was awarded the Player of the Match.
Turning Point of the Match
The turning point of the match was the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana for 88 in the 42nd over when Linsey Smith dismissed her and she was holed out in the deep, After her dismissal, the innings fell away. The final nail in the coffin was Deepti Sharma getting out for 50 in the 47th over as she was unable to finish the game. These two points or instances were the turning points in the match.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves from Indore to Navi Mumbai at the DY Patil Academy where Sri Lanka will take on Bangladesh on 20th October 2025 at 3 PM IST. Two teams in desperate need of a win and have 2 points from 5 games with Bangladesh in 6th and Sri Lanka in 7th place. Both teams need a win to give something to their campaign.
It’s the first match in Navi Mumbai and we shall see how things pan out at the venue. The rain should stay away one feels.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: Heather Knight’s Swahbuckling Ton Powers England To Massive 288/8