Women’s World Cup 2025: India Women’s composed chase at DY Patil Stadium decoded — key moments that turned the semi-final firmly in their favor.
As soon as Amanjot Kaur cut the short ball past backward point between the two Australia fielders, the entire Dr DY Patil Sports Academy erupted in joy. Amanjot was hoisted by Jemimah Rodrigues, who covered her face and began wiping away tears of joy. The rest of the India players rushed to the middle to give them the tightest hugs.
A tricky run chase against the seemingly invincible Australia in a knockout stage of an ICC Women’s tournament — it was a script India had watched unfold several times before. Only this time, at the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, the ending was different.
The Blue Brigade handed Alyssa Healy’s side their first defeat in 16 ODI World Cup games, pulling off a record chase of 339 runs. They perhaps still hadn’t fully realized the magnitude of the achievement. The 2020s is five years and ten months old, and Australia’s semifinal defeat to India in CWC 2025 was only their sixth WODI loss of the decade.
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Let’s take a look at a couple of moments that turned the second semifinal in India’s favour.
Jemimah Rodrigues & Harmanpreet Kaur’s composed 167-run partnership
When Australia set a target of 339 runs, it brought mixed feelings from India’s point of view. The odds were against them, but the heavy evening dew promised batting-friendly conditions.
Moreover, India finished the previous innings strongly, conceding just seven runs and picking up four wickets in the last eight balls. The momentum had shifted slightly in India’s favour.
Shafali Verma’s five-ball entertainment ended early in the chase. On the team sheet, Rodrigues was listed at No. 5 and Amanjot at No. 3, but the management sent Rodrigues in at one-down. Within five minutes and ten balls into the chase, she walked out into the middle. Soon after, she lost Smriti Mandhana and was joined by captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Neither batter had enjoyed a great campaign so far, with only one half-century each. They spent the first 15 balls risk-free, focusing solely on singles and doubles. The turning point came when Rodrigues scooped Kim Garth for a boundary in the eighth over. From there, the classic strokes from the 25-year-old began to flow. India regained momentum, but the pressure remained intense.
With 150 needed off 20 overs, Harmanpreet shifted gears. Her lofted six over mid-wicket off Tahlia McGrath in the 30th over was a chef’s kiss. She followed it with another six in the same region and soon raised her bat to celebrate her 22nd WODI half-century.
Their third-wicket stand reached 167 runs off 156 balls. When Harmanpreet fell for 89, a familiar silence returned over Navi Mumbai. Rodrigues stayed calm and composed, but she needed support from the other end.
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Richa Ghosh & Deepti Sharma’s firing cameos before tensed last seven overs
It would always remain a debate on how to frame a perfect run-chase, with pure judgment calls required from both ends. The timing of every step becomes vital. India hadn’t got it right in their previous straightforward chase against England in Indore. An equation of 36 off 30 slipped to 23 off 12. Amanjot was in the middle then, and her decision to take the chase deep left them with too much to do. Unsurprisingly, they fell short by four runs.
After Harmanpreet’s dismissal in the semifinal, the hosts still needed over 110 runs in less than 15 overs. Out of the remaining seven wickets, the expectations naturally rested on the next three batters — Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Amanjot.
Deepti took her time, but crucially, she didn’t waste deliveries. The southpaw kept rotating the strike in between her three boundaries. Out of her 24 runs in 17 balls, 12 came off singles and doubles. Meanwhile, Rodrigues was in her nervous 90s, yet she didn’t allow the milestone to weigh on her shoulders. Just after a lucky reprieve, the Mumbai-born batter brought up her maiden World Cup century.
Richa arrived in the 41st over and lofted Megan Schutt for a six over long-off. India needed 48 runs in six overs at that point. She smoked Ashleigh Gardner on one knee over cow corner for a six before slog-sweeping the bowler — one bounce and over the ropes at mid-wicket.
But, Annabel Sutherland removed the wicket-keeper-batter, whose wild swing resulted in a top edge to backward point. The tension was palpable, with India seemingly heading towards another heartbreak.
With 19 required off 16 balls, Rodrigues scooped Sutherland’s slower ball for a boundary. Another boundary past backward point ensured India lifted 15 runs off the 48th over.
The rest was up to Amanjot, who struck two fours in three balls in the penultimate over, completing a wild, unforgettable chase. India, thus, marched into their third Women’s Cricket World Cup final after 2005 and 2017.
On November 2, at the DY Patil Sports Academy, they will face South Africa for the title. It will be a red-letter day; the first Women’s Cricket World Cup final without either England or Australia. It could be India’s third-time lucky after two runners-up finishes. The hopes are sky-high as the country dreams of something special.
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