ICC Women’s World Cup: How India Women rose from mid-tournament slump

India’s women’s cricket squad has scripted a stunning turnaround to publication their spot successful the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 final, wherever they volition instrumentality connected South Africa connected November 2 astatine the Dr.

DY Patil Sports Academy successful Navi Mumbai. Their run has been a rollercoaster thrust — marked by a ascendant start, a turbulent mid-phase with 3 successive defeats, and a breathtaking semifinal triumph against Australia that underlined their grit and belief.Jemimah Rodrigues emerged arsenic the leader of the semifinal, playing the innings of her beingness to transportation India to a record-breaking pursuit against the mighty Australians. Her unbeaten 127, supported by Harmanpreet Kaur’s 89, powered India to 341/5 portion chasing 338 — the highest palmy pursuit successful the past of the Women’s World Cup knockouts.

India’s travel to the last has been a testament to their resilience. After suffering 3 consecutive defeats successful the mediate signifier of the tournament, the squad regrouped to present back-to-back must-win performances against New Zealand and Australia.Match-by-match journey:Match 1: India vs Sri Lanka – Won by 59 runs (DLS method) India kicked disconnected their run confidently successful Mumbai. Batting first, they posted 269/8 successful 50 overs, acknowledgment to half-centuries from Deepti Sharma (67) and Amanjot Kaur (58).

The pair’s 97-run basal stabilised India aft a shaky start. In reply, Sri Lanka threatened concisely done Chamari Athapaththu’s 65, but Deepti’s all-round brilliance shone done arsenic she claimed 3/54, helping India vessel retired Sri Lanka for 211 successful 45.4 overs.Match 2: India vs Pakistan – Won by 88 runs The much-anticipated clash saw India predominate from commencement to finish. Batting first, Harleen Deol’s composed 46 guided India to 247 each retired connected a sluggish pitch.

In the bowling department, Kranti Gaud (3/20) and Deepti Sharma (3/45) tore done Pakistan’s lineup, reducing them to 98/6 astatine 1 stage. A precocious absorption from Aliya Riaz wasn’t enough, arsenic Pakistan were bowled retired for 159. This triumph made it 2 wins successful 2 matches for India.Match 3: India vs South Africa – Lost by 3 wickets India suffered their archetypal setback successful a tense thriller successful Pune. After posting 281/7, courtesy of Richa Ghosh’s elegant 94 and utile contributions from Mandhana (45), the bowlers had South Africa reeling astatine 81/5.

However, Marizanne Kapp (78*) and Nadine de Klerk (42*) stitched an unbeaten concern to propulsion disconnected a melodramatic pursuit with 7 balls to spare. It was a pugnacious nonaccomplishment that exposed India’s death-bowling vulnerabilities.Match 4: India vs Australia – Lost by 3 wickets In a high-scoring contention successful Bengaluru, India enactment up 330 connected the board, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s fluent 80 and youngster Pratika Rawal’s composed 75. Yet, their joyousness was short-lived arsenic Australia, led by Alyssa Healy’s breathtaking 142 disconnected 107 balls, chased down the people with 7 wickets down and 4 balls remaining.

India’s spinners were ineffective nether pressure, allowing Australia to seal a classical run-chase.Match 5: India vs England – Lost by 4 runs This was possibly the astir heartbreaking decision of India’s campaign. England posted 288/8, anchored by Heather Knight’s captain’s sound of 109. In reply, India were cruising astatine 210/2, with Mandhana (88) and Harmanpreet (70) successful control. However, a middle-order illness turned the crippled connected its head.

Despite Deepti Sharma’s precocious fifty, India fell agonisingly short, needing 22 from the last 12 balls.Match 6: India vs New Zealand – Won by 53 runs (DLS method) Needing a triumph to enactment live successful the tournament, India produced 1 of their astir commanding batting performances. Smriti Mandhana (102) and Pratika Rawal (104) combined for a 198-run concern — India’s highest opening basal successful World Cup history. Jemimah Rodrigues added an unbeaten 76 to instrumentality the full to 340/3.

Rain interrupted the Kiwi pursuit astatine 212/6, and India won by 53 runs nether the DLS method, sealing their semifinal berth.Match 7: India vs Bangladesh – No effect (rain) India dominated the curtailed crippled earlier rainfall intervened. Radha Yadav’s disciplined spell of 3/30 helped restrict Bangladesh to 119/9 successful 27 overs. India’s openers, Mandhana (29*) and Shafali Verma (24*), started briskly, racing to 57/0 successful 8.4 overs earlier the downpour forced an aboriginal end.

The shared points were capable to corroborate India’s spot successful the knockouts. Now, with 1 measurement near betwixt them and eternal glory, India basal poised to make history. A triumph successful the last against South Africa would present the federation its first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup crown, completing a run that has been thing abbreviated of cinematic — from heartbreak to heroism.