India defeated New Zealand by 53 runs to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup 2025. In the match played at D.Y. Patil Stadium on Thursday, overs were reduced due to rain, making it a 49-over game.
SPORTS NEWS: The Indian Women's Cricket Team has confirmed its place in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup 2025 with a powerful performance. In an exciting match played at D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, India defeated New Zealand by 53 runs. In this rain-interrupted match, the Indian team displayed excellent balance in both batting and bowling.
Rain-Affected but Exciting Match
Even before the start of the match, the sky was overcast, and rain intermittently affected the play. New Zealand won the toss and invited India to bat first. Due to rain, the overs were reduced, making it a 49-over-per-innings match. However, this interruption did not affect the confidence of the Indian batters at all.
The Indian team posted a massive total of 340 runs for the loss of just three wickets in 49 overs, which is the highest score in this tournament so far. In response, New Zealand was set a target of 325 runs in 44 overs under the DLS method after further rain. However, the Indian bowlers, with their precise line and length, restricted the visiting team to 271 runs for 8 wickets in 44 overs.
Mandhana and Pratika Rawal's Century Partnership
The Indian innings began with a formidable start from Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal. Both batters completely dismantled New Zealand's bowling attack. Smriti Mandhana played an innings of 109 runs off 95 balls, including 14 fours and 2 sixes. Pratika Rawal also showcased her class, scoring 122 runs and providing a b foundation for the Indian innings.
They shared a 212-run partnership, which stands as India's biggest opening partnership in the Women's World Cup. This partnership gave the team an early advantage and put pressure on the opposition. Subsequently, Jemimah Rodrigues played an unbeaten innings of 76 runs (55 balls) and helped India reach 340 runs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur played strategically, balancing the innings and guiding the team to a b total.
New Zealand's Reply Innings
Chasing the target, New Zealand had a rather slow start. Renuka Singh and Kranti Gaur from India delivered early blows, putting the opposition under pressure. Brooke Halliday played a struggling innings of 81 runs. Isabella Gaze scored an unbeaten 65 runs and remained till the end. However, the rest of the batters could not withstand the Indian bowlers.
Renuka Singh and Kranti Gaur each took two wickets, while Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Sri Charani, and Pratika Rawal secured one wicket each. The team's fielding was also excellent; from catching to run-outs, India performed outstandingly in every department.
