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India Slip to Third Consecutive Defeat, Semifinal Hopes Hang in the Balance -What Is The Qualification Scenario? News24 –

Sports
By Correspondent


WWC 2025 Qualification Scenario: India’s Women’s World Cup campaign has hit a critical juncture after suffering a heartbreaking four-run loss to England at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, October 19. In what was a must-win encounter to revive their tournament hopes, the hosts fell agonizingly short in a nail-biting chase, slipping to their third straight defeat after earlier losses to Australia and South Africa.

With pressure mounting and expectations high, the Indian team walked into the contest needing both performance and redemption. After being put into the bowl, they showed flashes of grit. England, however, rode on a captain’s knock from Heather Knight, who struck a sublime 100 off just 86 balls. Knight’s poise at the crease was pivotal as she constructed England’s innings alongside Amy Jones, who chipped in with a fluent half-century.

Despite the visitors posting a competitive 288 for 8, India’s bowling effort wasn’t without its highlights. Deepti Sharma led the charge with a brilliant four-wicket haul, once again proving her worth as India’s go-to bowler in crunch situations. Sree Charani also delivered a disciplined spell, picking up two wickets and keeping the English middle-order in check.

But it was the chase that provided the evening’s drama.

India’s innings got off to a rocky start, with Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol departing early. The scoreboard pressure and England’s disciplined bowling tightened the screws. However, Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur joined forces to steady the ship. The duo put on a commanding century partnership, giving Indian fans renewed hope and energy in the stands.

Mandhana was the architect of the revival – timing the ball exquisitely, rotating the strike with ease, and punishing loose deliveries. She looked set for a match-winning century but fell heartbreakingly short on 88. Her dismissal, as Harmanpreet Kaur later admitted, was the turning point of the match. With her wicket, India’s momentum began to wane, and the required run rate started to climb.

Despite half-centuries from both Harmanpreet and Deepti Sharma, the final overs proved too steep. With 14 runs needed off the last over, Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana were unable to find the boundary. England’s Linsey Smith held her nerve in the death overs, closing out a tense victory and dealing a significant blow to India’s campaign.

Speaking after the match, a visibly disappointed Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the critical juncture of the contest. “Mandhana’s wicket was where the game shifted. We had the momentum until then. But we’re not giving up. We’ve bounced back before and we’ll do it again,” she said.

What This Means for India

Despite the string of defeats, India’s semifinal hopes are still alive but the margin for error has disappeared entirely. The team now heads into their penultimate league match against New Zealand on October 23 in Navi Mumbai with everything to play for.

Here’s a quick look at the qualification scenarios for India:

  • If India win both remaining matches: They will secure a place in the semifinals outright, without relying on other results or net run rate.
  • If India win just one: Qualification becomes trickier. They would then depend on teams like New Zealand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan not overtaking them on points or net run rate.
  • If India lose both: It’s curtains for their campaign, with elimination a certainty.

The Road Ahead

India’s campaign, once full of promise, now stands at a crossroads. The talent is undeniable – the individual performances from Mandhana, Deepti, and Harmanpreet have shown that. But cricket is a team sport, and the next two matches will demand a collective resurgence. Fielding lapses, top-order collapses, and missed opportunities have hurt India, but with the passionate home crowd behind them and their backs to the wall, this team still has the fire to turn it around.

All eyes now turn to Navi Mumbai, where India will look to keep their dreams alive and perhaps spark a turnaround that fans will remember for years to come.




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