IND W VS NZ W MATCH 24

The top 4 are locked and loaded. Australia, South Africa, England, and India are the four confirmed semi-finalists in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025. Unfortunately, New Zealand's journey ends here, with Sri Lanka too, getting eliminated. Next up in this tournament, we move down south to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo for chapter number 25, in which Sri Lanka Women go up against Pakistan Women at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium. That game will be played on Friday, 24th October, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 9.30 am GMT. Do join us for the pre-match buzz and all the exciting analysis an hour earlier. Until then, take care, cheers.

The victorious skipper of India Women, Harmanpreet Kaur, says that it wasn't easy, but credit goes to the entire team for the way they fought today, and she's proud of her players. Adds that they were getting starts with the bat but that big score wasn't coming, so credit goes to Smriti and Pratika to go on and get that three-figure mark. Adds that once the openers put on 200-plus runs, Jemimah Rodrigues was sent up the order and is really pleased with the way she played. Reckons that whenever they are playing at home, the expectations are very high, and other than taking pressure, they need to enjoy the support. Adds that it wasn't easy after the three losses, but everyone picked each other up and is happy with the way they stepped up. Mentions that they need to bowl well, and they have one more league game to strengthen that facet of their game.

The captain of New Zealand Women, Sophie Devine, reflects on the defeat. She critically mentions that it has been a tough campaign for them due to those couple of washouts and says they would have loved for more opportunities to play. Says they are gutted not just with themselves but also for their families and friends and also the fans who have supported them. Credits the way India batted and admits that the target was just too big. Appreciates the way Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze batted in the backend and says that she is proud of them. On opting to field first, Sophie shares that they were outstanding in the Powerplay while bowling, and adds that they contained India by staying on the stumps on a belter of a wicket. But admits that they couldn't take wickets. Feels that 320-330 was a par score on this kind of pitch. Mentions that their ground fielding was outstanding, though they dropped a couple of chances. Speaking on Gaze and Halliday's partnership, Devine details that they have just continued to grow in the last couple of years or so and that she is excited to see them bat. Mentions that their ability to bat along the ground is just incredible. Says that Brooke has been exceptional in this World Cup. Reflects that they have a lot of positives from the tournament, but adds that it is really disappointing to end their tournament like this. On Lea Tahuhu playing her 200th international game, she says that she has been such a great contributor and monumental with what she has given to New Zealand cricket. Says that she just keeps putting it out for the side. Admits that it was just not their day at the office. Ends by saying that it is all about how they play the game. Also mentions that it has been an honor to play for New Zealand. Admits that they can't progress from here, but believes that they will give England a good run for their money in their last game.

India's Smriti Mandhana is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for a sensational century. She says that it is a big relief for them in terms of qualifying for the semis, as in the last three matches, they couldn't get over the line. Goes on to applaud Pratika Rawal and reckons that she deserves this award as much as her. Adds that she likes to dominate pace more than spin, but after starting on the slower side, she simply decided to shift gears. Mentions that she didn't start the tournament well and gave her wicket away after getting into the 20s and 30s, but it is all about not complicating things, and if you are feeling good in the nets, you need to back yourself when the crunch game comes. On her partnership with Pratika, she says that they both are pretty similar in how they approach their innings and goes on to say that when one of them gets going, the other is able to anchor the innings.

... THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY ...

Earlier in the game, the White Ferns won the toss and chose to bowl first, which backfired pretty spectacularly. India's openers came out swinging hard, with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal building a marathon 212-run opening partnership that had New Zealand scrambling for answers. Both batters reached fantastic centuries, looking utterly unstoppable against a quality bowling lineup. India stormed past 300 with plenty of momentum, and Jemimah Rodrigues added a punchy fifty to the total before rain rolled in and paused things for a solid stretch. New Zealand cycled through seven different bowlers trying to break through, but the Indian top order was right in the zone. Classic case of batters owning the day, making a quality bowling huff and puff.

On the bright side though, New Zealand's middle order inconsistencies had been a proper worry coming in, but Izzy Gaze stepped up big time with her maiden ODI fifty, showing off some quality strokeplay and her range of shots at the death. Brooke Halliday, one of the most reliable and consistent bats for the Kiwis, after Devine in this World Cup, fell agonizingly short of a well-deserved hundred as India cruised to a comfortable win in the end.

The chase followed a consistent pattern. Every time New Zealand built a threatening partnership, India struck at the perfect moment. There was dew around and some leftover moisture from the earlier rain made gripping the ball slightly tricky for the spinners. Halliday and Kerr pieced together a dangerous 56-run stand before Sneh Rana broke through. Green and Halliday then added 39 before Pratika chipped in, leaving New Zealand reeling at 154/5. With all the big guns gone, everything fell on Brooke Halliday's shoulders, and she responded with a fighting fifty to keep things interesting. Izzy Gaze formed an alliance with her and tried to keep the chase alive, but honestly, the White Ferns were staring at a massive mountain with way too many runs still needed and not enough firepower left in the shed.

Just as New Zealand started building some proper momentum, Renuka Singh Thakur flipped the script completely. After looking a touch off in her opening spell, she came roaring back with two massive wickets in back-to-back overs, removing both Plimmer and Sophie Devine and reducing the Kiwis to 59/3. But Kerr wasn't having any of it, switching straight into mission mode and launching another counterattack to keep the scoreboard ticking. She and Halliday refused to let India string a quiet phase, taking the fight right back to the bowlers.

New Zealand were walking out to bat after 12 long days, getting thrown straight into the furnace of a must-win situation while chasing a seriously hefty DLS target of 325 in 44 overs. Their rhythm of batting was under severe test, and they got off to a shaky start, losing Suzie Bates in the second over. But Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr weren't about to roll over, as they launched a strong counterattack with a smooth 50-run stand that got things moving. Plimmer was the one taking charge. With the Powerplay trimmed down to 9 overs, the White Ferns managed a solid 50/1, keeping themselves right in the hunt.

In the most crucial game to stay alive in the competition, the Indians came up trumps against a quality opposition like New Zealand, and played a near-perfect game of cricket. Coming off three defeats on the trot, this was exactly the kind of statement win they desperately needed to get their campaign back on track. This marks the fifth World Cup semifinal qualification for India Women. Tough luck for New Zealand. Their campaign in this World Cup comes to an end, marred by those two brutal back-to-back washouts in Colombo that really derailed their momentum. You've got to feel for stalwarts like Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates. Both legends are in the twilight of their careers, and will miss another shot at glory.

OUT! CAUGHT! Deepti Sharma does end up with a wicket and keeps her run of picking up at least one wicket in every game this tournament going. Tosses the ball up around middle, enticing the batter and Rosemary Mair skips down the track again to loft it away. Mair does so but sends it sailing straight to long on where Smriti Mandhana takes a simple catch. India Women win by 53 runs (DLS method).

OUT! CAUGHT! Deepti Sharma does end up with a wicket and keeps her run of picking up at least one wicket in every game this tournament going. Tosses the ball up around middle, enticing the batter and Rosemary Mair skips down the track again to loft it away. Mair does so but sends it sailing straight to long on where Smriti Mandhana takes a simple catch. India Women win by 53 runs (DLS method).

Oh, missed stumping and Deepti Sharma won't be too pleased with that. Tossed-up delivery on off, turning in. Rosemary Mair skips down the pitch to go big but misses and Uma Chetry spills it as well.

Slowed up and the length is just dragged back slightly, Gaze reaches for it and nudges it past square leg for one.

Tossed up around off, Gaze sweeps it away between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a couple of quick runs.

Flattens it up and bowls it full on off. Rosemary Mair comes forward and hits it to long off for one more.

Floated up at the stumps, Gaze advancs and lofts it on the bounce to long on for a single.