Women’s World Cup 2025: India into Semifinals After Thrilling Win

The India Women’s Cricket Team made its way into the semifinals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in a scintillating contest against New Zealand Women. The do-or-die match lived up to the hype as India delivered arguably one of its top all-round performances in the tournament by defeating the Kiwis by 53 runs (DLS) in a rain-affected clash. It was a night of emotion, resolve, and vengeance for Women in Blue, who had been under some stress after a string of defeats in the tournament. India responded with resoluteness and flair, ensuring their path to the knockout stages remained intact.

Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal led the charge in a substantial opening position for India, resulting in a world record opening partnership of 212 runs. They unleashed on the New Zealand bowlers with an all-around array of touch and power, directing the ball to every part of the field. Mandhana simply performed with grace and concentration, contributing 109, while Rawal’s blistering knock was a magnificent 122. The initial partnership not only laid the foundation of India’s innings but also broke the confidence of the New Zealand bowlers, as they had had trouble breaking through the first 35 overs of the innings. After the combination, India clearly made a large total. In the final overs, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues finished the innings with some final fireworks, capping 340 for 3 in 49 overs before rain brought the sudden finish. This was India’s highest ever total in any Women’s World Cup match, which showed the intent of India aiming for a place in the semifinals.

When the game resumed, the rain led to a restriction in overs, with New Zealand’s revised DLS target set at 325 in 44 overs. The Kiwi batsmen put up a fight in spite of the lengthy chase, with captain Sophie Devine scoring a tough and tenacious 78. However, they regularly lost wickets, while Indian bowlers showed outstanding discipline and stuck tightly to their lines. Pooja Vastrakar and Deepti Sharma both performed very well with the ball in terms of taking wickets at important times, with Vastrakar’s pace and Sharma’s changes of spin troubling the New Zealand middle order, and the pressure of the run rate climbed steadily. New Zealand managed to finish at 271 for 8 in 44 overs, losing by 53 runs on the DLS calculation.

The win was more than just another group-stage victory—it was a turning point in India’s campaign. The win ended a difficult stretch of three consecutive losses, which had them on the brink of elimination. Instead, the team regrouped and demonstrated composure under pressure by playing like champions. The victory also highlighted India’s depth and resilience, as they were able to get a collective effort across all departments—batting, bowling, and fielding—to all be a part of India’s most significant win of the tournament.

After the match, captain Harmanpreet Kaur was proud and relieved. “We knew how important this game was for us. The whole team was charged up, and the contributions came from every single player. It feels amazing to now be in the semifinals after such an important win,” she said. Her quote captured the essence of a team that has an affinity for big moments. Mandhana similarly credited her partner Rawal and the team mindset, saying the key was staying calm and backing their skill even under immense pressure.

The Indian team’s advance to the semifinals has injected new life into the tournament: fans and commentators have proclaimed it one of the best performances of the season, particularly commending not only the batting dominance but also the smart use of angles and match-ups. The convincing win sends a message to the other semifinalists that India remains one of the best teams and is most dangerous when in form. With considerable momentum, the Women in Blue are now focused on maintaining their rhythm, managing their workload, and sharpening their strategies in anticipation of the knockouts.

For New Zealand, the defeat was devastating, as their chances of going further than that have been extinguished. They had some great moments of play, but they could not live with India on this day. For Team India, the path looks promising. They are flying high with confidence, and their team is firing on all cylinders, taking them into the semifinal as genuine competitors for the trophy—a team that has turned the corner and believes that anything can happen when everyone is united and committed to every aspect of the game.