In a heart-stopping finale at the Holkar Stadium, India Women fell agonisingly short by four runs against England Women in a crucial ICC Women's World Cup ODI on October 20, 2025, handing the hosts their third consecutive defeat in the tournament. England, posting a challenging 289, watched as India mounted a spirited chase, only to stumble in the closing overs amid mounting pressure. The narrow margin left the Indian camp devastated, while the victory propelled England into the semi-finals, underscoring the fine line between triumph and heartbreak in high-stakes cricket. Opener Smriti Mandhana's gritty 88 nearly turned the tide, but her untimely dismissal sparked a collapse that cost India dearly.
The match unfolded as a classic run chase thriller. England, led by skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt's all-round efforts—including a vital 2/47—built a formidable total, testing India's resolve from the outset. India slumped to 42/2 early on, but Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur forged a record-breaking 125-run stand for the third wicket, the highest partnership in an Indian World Cup chase, eclipsing the previous mark of 108 set by Mandhana and Mithali Raj in 2017. Kaur, snapping a tournament slump, stroked a composed 70 off 70 balls with 10 boundaries, her knock elevating her to the seventh-highest run-scorer in World Cup history with 1,017 runs at an average of 46.22.
Mandhana, elegant as ever with eight fours in her 94-ball stay, then added 67 with Deepti Sharma, keeping the required rate under control at around six per over. Yet, as the target loomed—55 needed off 52 after Mandhana's exit to Linsey Smith—the momentum shifted. Richa Ghosh's brisk 8 off 10 fell short of the required acceleration, and Deepti holed out to Sophie Ecclestone for a crucial scalp, leaving India at 256/6 in the 46th over. England's bowlers, including Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, and Ecclestone, held their nerve to defend the total.
Post-match, Mandhana shouldered the blame with characteristic candour, reflecting on the dramatic unravelling. "Yeah, for sure, I mean it collapsed; everyone saw that. I think everyone's shot selections at that time—we could have done better with our shot selections. Especially, it started from me, so I will take it on me that the shot selection should have been better," she told the ICC, lamenting the failure to rotate strike in the death overs.
Dismissing notions of over-reliance on Ghosh, Mandhana praised the lower order's potential: "I mean, of course Richa has been good for us, but I wouldn't say that it's only dependent on her. We just needed 6.5 per over... We've seen Aman [Amanjot Kaur] do that in WPL, and Sneh [Rana] has been brilliant in the last 4-5 overs." Unbeaten on 18 off 15 and 10 off 9, respectively, Kaur and Rana fought valiantly but couldn't bridge the gap, as India ended at 284/6. The opener's introspection highlighted a recurring theme in India's campaign: promising starts undone by pressure-packed finishes.
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This loss compounds India's woes in the 2025 World Cup, hosted on home soil for the first time since 1997, where early promise has given way to mounting scrutiny on batting depth and finishing prowess. England, meanwhile, celebrate a semi-final berth, their composure under lights a testament to Sciver-Brunt's leadership. For India, with semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, the defeat serves as a stark reminder of the tournament's unforgiving nature—where partnerships like Mandhana-Kaur's shine brightly but require sustained execution to deliver glory. As the hosts regroup, eyes turn to upcoming fixtures, with Kaur's resurgence offering a glimmer amid the gloom.
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