Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Friday, 31 October 2025 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
In the highest run chase in the history of Women’s ODIs, India beat defending champions Australia by five wickets with nine balls to spare in the second semi-final played at Navi Mumbai yesterday to book a place in Sunday’s final against South Africa.
India qualified for the Women’s ODI final for the third time, having finished runners-up in 2005 and 2017.
It was a tough chase and not easy as Australia, batting first, ran up 338. India were up against a total no team had ever chased in a Women’s ODI before. They lost their opening bat Shafali Verma (injured) and then the in-form Smriti Mandhana, but they had someone in the shape of Jemimah Rodrigues, who played one of the all-time great knocks (127* off 135 balls, 14 fours) to see India through, even as her partners ran out of steam. It was her partnership of 167 off 156 balls with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89 off 88 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) that truly put Australia under pressure. Deepti Sharma (24 off 17) and Richa Ghosh (26 off 16) did their bit, along with Amanjot Kaur (15* off 8) to put the icing on the cake for India.
Australia were left shell-shocked, unable to believe what had hit them, and for the first time in a long while, they did crack under pressure. Catches went down, and Rodrigues made them pay for it dearly. They were also struggling to come to grips with the dew and they were left ruing the small collapse towards the end that curtailed them to a sub-350 score.
Australia came up with another powerful and bruising batting display to post an imposing 338.
After their Captain Alyssa Healy departed early, Phoebe Litchfield rose to the occasion, crafting a hundred of immense quality (119 off 93 balls, 17 fours, 23 sixes) – her first World Cup hundred in a big game. With Ellyse Perry (77 off 88 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes), who played second fiddle, they added 155 off 133 balls. At that stage, India were under the cosh. But attempting a scoop brought about her dismissal and allowed India to get back in.
India continued to pick wickets but Ashley Gardner played a quickfire knock to notch up 63 off just 45 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes), adding 66 off 41 balls with Kim Garth (17). Her innings helped Australia in the back end, as she cleared the fence often and went past 330, even though at one stage it looked like they would cruise to a 350+ score. India’s fielding was very ordinary and there were a lot of fumbles and runs gifted away. Shree Charani was the pick of the bowlers, but the rest struggled to assert any sort of sustained authority.
Scores:
Australia Women 338 (49.5) (Phoebe Litchfield 119, Ellyse Perry 77, Beth Mooney 24, Ashleigh Gardner 63, Shree Charani 2/49, Deepti Sharma 2/73)
India Women 341-5 (48.3) (Smriti Mandhana 24, Jemimah Rodrigues 127*, Harmanpreet Kaur 89, Deepti Sharma 24, Richa Ghosh 26, Kim Garth 2/46, Annabel Sunderland 2/69)
