India’s women’s cricket team revitalized their World Cup campaign with a commanding victory over New Zealand, securing a place in the semi-finals and keeping alive their hopes for a maiden title after a mid-tournament slump.
In a crucial do-or-die match at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on Thursday night, India posted a record 340-3, powered by a scintillating 212-run opening partnership between vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and rising star Pratika Rawal. Jemimah Rodrigues contributed an unbeaten half-century, setting a challenging target that New Zealand, after a rain-revised score of 325, failed to chase, losing by 53 runs. The win came in front of over 25,166 spectators, the highest group-stage attendance in women’s ICC tournament history, highlighting the growing support for the sport.
This victory provided a much-needed boost after India suffered three consecutive defeats to South Africa, Australia, and England, each by narrow margins that exposed vulnerabilities under pressure. The losses, including a shock upset by South Africa and close calls against Australia and England, raised questions about the team’s mental resolve and ability to perform in clutch moments, threatening to derail their World Cup aspirations early.
India’s resurgence was marked by a dominant batting display, with Mandhana leading the tournament’s run charts and Rawal showcasing her growth from playing cameos to scoring big runs. Rodrigues, who was briefly dropped after a string of low scores, returned with a match-winning performance, underscoring the squad’s depth and resilience. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, though below par earlier, showed signs of returning to form with a half-century in a previous match, adding to the team’s confidence.
The context of India’s journey adds weight to this comeback; as co-hosts with Sri Lanka, they were expected to reach the knockouts, and early emphatic wins, including one over arch-rival Pakistan, signaled title intent. However, past near-misses in World Cup finals—losing to England in 2017 and Australia in 2020—have created a narrative of unfinished business, making this bounce-back even more significant for fans and players alike.
With the semi-finals set, India now faces the daunting prospect of playing against Australia, England, or South Africa—all teams that defeated them earlier in the tournament. Australia, ranked number one and unbeaten so far, are strong favorites with a star-studded side, while England and South Africa have demonstrated they can challenge the best, with South Africa’s women showing a desire to emulate their men’s team’s recent successes.
India’s strengths lie in their all-round capabilities, with players like Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, and Sneh Rana providing balance, and bowlers such as Renuka Singh being effective. However, the absence of a reliable sixth bowler has been a weakness in earlier losses, and addressing this could be key in the knockouts. Home support and the team’s evident talent position them as contenders, but self-belief and nerve will be tested against familiar opponents.
As the tournament progresses, India must harness the lessons from their defeats and the momentum from this win to overcome semifinal hurdles. Whether they can break their World Cup jinx and clinch a maiden title remains the lingering question, setting the stage for an exciting climax that could redefine women’s cricket in the country.