India succumbed to a four-run defeat against to England in their Women's World Cup clash, after failing to complete a chase of 289. The Women in Blue appeared to be cruising toward victory, positioned strongly at 167 for 2 in the 31st over. However, the turning point came with the wicket of captain Harmanpreet Kaur for 70, which allowed England to fight their way back into the match.
England nick past India by four runs
Despite this setback, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma formed another crucial partnership, taking India to 234 for 3 by the 42nd over. Unfortunately, Mandhana then played a poor shot and was dismissed for a masterful 88, putting India under serious pressure. Although Deepti Sharma scored a crucial half-century, wickets continued to tumble at the other end. In the end, England pulled off an unlikely victory, securing their spot in the semifinal.
India's path to the Women's World Cup semifinals
With Australia, England, and South Africa having already secured their spots, only one semifinal berth remains open in the Women's World Cup. India's campaign started promisingly with victories over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, boosting their hopes. However, the recent defeat against England has placed them in a tricky, yet manageable, position.
Currently sitting on 4 points, India has two league matches remaining, against New Zealand and Bangladesh. The simplest path to qualification is to win both of these games. This would bring their total to 8 points, a tally no other contending team could reach, thus sealing their semifinal berth. Critically, a win against New Zealand is a must-have. Should India lose to New Zealand, their maximum possible points would be 6 (assuming a win over Bangladesh), which would open the door for New Zealand to qualify instead, especially if they manage to win their final game against England Women.
Earlier in the day, England posted a solid total of 288 for 8 in their 50 overs. The four-time champions had initially looked set to comfortably cross the 300-run mark, particularly when they stood at 211 for 2 in the 39th over. However, a spirited fightback from the Indian bowlers meant they fell just short of that significant landmark.
England's strong total was built on the foundation laid by Amy Jones, who played well for her 56 runs, but the primary catalyst was captain Heather Knight. Knight scored a brilliant 109, which propelled England to a highly competitive total. For India, all-rounder Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler, who shone with a fiery four-fer, but her effort eventually went in vain.