India Must Revamp Batting Order After Crushing Defeat Against South Africa

India’s Women’s World Cup campaign hit a stumbling block on Thursday as South Africa secured a dramatic three-wicket victory in Visakhapatnam, chasing down 252 in a thrilling group-stage encounter at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur sharply criticised her top-order batters for their failure to build a solid foundation, leaving India reeling at 102 for six. A sensational 94 off 77 balls by wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, featuring 11 fours and five sixes from the No. 8 position, salvaged a competitive 251 all out. However, South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk (84 not out off 54 balls) and Laura Wolvaardt (70) steered their side to victory with a crucial 69-run seventh-wicket stand, handing India their first defeat in the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Harmanpreet, addressing reporters post-match, expressed disappointment with the top order’s lack of accountability, including key players like Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. “We didn’t take responsibility as a top order. We need to change things to post good totals. It’s a long tournament, so we must stay positive,” she said. The 2025 World Cup, hosted across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka with a nine-team format, demands consistency, and India’s batting collapse echoed their 2022 group-stage exit. Harmanpreet lauded Ghosh’s explosive knock, noting, “Richa has been outstanding. She can deliver big scores, and we hope she continues.” The pitch, described as batsman-friendly, exposed India’s reliance on lower-order resilience, raising questions about batting order adjustments.

South Africa’s triumph was propelled by de Klerk’s match-winning performance, earning her the Player of the Match award. “Beating India in front of their fans is huge,” she said, highlighting the electric atmosphere at the packed Vizag stadium. Alongside Chloe Tryon’s finishing flair, de Klerk’s composure under pressure—chasing over seven runs per over after Wolvaardt’s exit at 142 for six—sealed the upset. Wolvaardt, awestruck, called de Klerk’s knock “incredible, unlike anything I’ve seen.” She credited their strategic depth, referencing a recovery from a 69 all-out against England in their opener, signalling South Africa’s growing prowess after their 2024 ODI series win over India.

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This loss intensifies pressure on India, a 2020 finalist, to recalibrate ahead of high-stakes clashes against Australia (also in Visakhapatnam on October 12) and New Zealand. South Africa’s ability to outmanoeuvre India underscores the tournament’s competitiveness, with both teams eyeing semifinal berths in the double-round-robin format. Experts suggest promoting Ghosh up the order to stabilise the lineup, while Harmanpreet emphasised learning from the defeat. As India regroups, the match highlights South Africa’s potential to challenge elite sides, setting the stage for a riveting World Cup race.

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