Women's World Cup: Rain Delays Toss in Navi Mumbai as India Eye Winning Finish Against Bangladesh

The toss for the final league-stage match of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 between India and Bangladesh at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy has been delayed due to intermittent rainfall, disrupting preparations for what was set to be a crucial warm-up for the hosts ahead of their semi-final against Australia. The game, scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. IST start on Sunday, October 26, saw groundstaff covering the pitch as light showers returned around 2:30 p.m., with the fourth umpire initially holding an umbrella during inspections. By 2:33 p.m., visuals indicated the rain had eased, and umpires were assessing playability, though no revised schedule was immediately announced. India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, have secured fourth place in the points table with three wins from six matches, while bottom-placed Bangladesh, led by Nigar Sultana, seek a second victory after a tournament plagued by five consecutive defeats.

For India, already qualified for the knockouts after a morale-boosting 10-wicket win over New Zealand at the same venue, the encounter offers a chance to fine-tune combinations and build momentum against the unbeaten Australians in the semi-final, also at DY Patil on October 29. Key performers like opener Smriti Mandhana (with 1,259 ODI runs in 2025) and spinner Deepti Sharma (part of a unit claiming 32 wickets this edition) will aim to sharpen their edge, though the team has dropped 15 catches so far—the most in the tournament—with a fielding efficiency of just 64.2 percent. Bangladesh, despite exiting contention, have shown resilience in patches, losing 27 wickets to spin alone (second-highest conceded) and could draw inspiration from their lone win against a struggling West Indies side. The match holds little at stake for standings but represents a pride-driven finale for the Tigers, who have broadened their domestic talent pool from traditional hubs like North Bengal to regions including Chattogram and Sylhet.

Weather forecasts for Navi Mumbai predicted a 40-50 per cent chance of showers throughout the afternoon, with temperatures around 28°C and humidity exceeding 80 per cent, potentially leading to a reduced-overs contest if play resumes. The DY Patil pitch, known for favouring batsmen early but assisting spinners later, hosted India's dominant chase against New Zealand last week, where they gunned down 167 in just 28.2 overs. In their only prior World Cup meeting in 2022, India thrashed Bangladesh by 110 runs in Hamilton, underscoring the hosts' historical edge. As umpires reconvene, both teams—India featuring debutant Uma Chetry in the probable XI—will hope for a full game to test lineups, including potential rotations like Pratika Rawal nearing 1,000 ODI runs this year.

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This fixture caps a gruelling league phase marred by weather interruptions across venues, with India overcoming a mid-tournament slump of three straight losses to South Africa, Australia, and England. Bangladesh's campaign, though winless in five, has boosted visibility back home, inspiring a new generation of players and fans. Should the match proceed, it could serve as a low-pressure platform for India to address fielding lapses and for Bangladesh to end on a high note. Live coverage on Star Sports and streaming via Disney+ Hotstar will keep fans updated as the tournament shifts focus to the semi-finals featuring top seeds Australia, England, South Africa, and the hosts.

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