England secured their place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 with a narrow four-run victory over India in Indore.
Captain Heather Knight led the charge with a commanding 109 from 91 deliveries, helping England post a competitive 288 for eight after electing to bat. It was a total that appeared within reach for India during a 125-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. However, timely wickets and disciplined death bowling from Linsey Smith denied the hosts a record run-chase.
The result confirmed England’s qualification for the final four, while India must now defeat New Zealand in Navi Mumbai to remain in contention.
England made a confident start after winning the toss, with openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones adding 73 runs for the first wicket. Deepti Sharma broke the stand when she bowled Beaumont for 22, becoming the first Indian woman to reach 150 ODI wickets.
Jones reached her half-century in 62 balls but fell shortly after for 56, picking out Mandhana at mid-wicket to give Sharma her second wicket. With England at 98 for two, Knight joined Nat Sciver-Brunt, and the pair compiled a 113-run stand.
The duo batted with composure early on, managing the spin attack effectively before Knight accelerated the scoring. She struck consecutive boundaries off Sree Charani and soon reached her half-century with a reverse sweep off Sneh Rana.
Knight continued to score freely as England crossed 200 with more than 12 overs remaining. Sciver-Brunt departed for 38 when she found Kaur off Charani’s bowling, but Knight pressed on to reach her century in 86 balls. She eventually fell for 109, run out after a mix-up.
The final overs saw a wobble, as Sophia Dunkley made 15 before falling, and Alice Capsey followed for two. Emma Lamb added 11 before Mandhana caught her on the boundary, giving Sharma her fourth wicket. Sophie Ecclestone was run out for three, as England closed on 288 for eight from their 50 overs.
India’s reply began poorly, with Lauren Bell removing Rawal for six in the fourth over, caught behind by Jones. Early pressure from Bell and Smith kept the scoring in check, but Harleen Deol counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries.
Deol moved to 24 before Charlie Dean trapped her leg before, reducing India to 42 for two. Mandhana and Kaur steadied the innings, bringing up the team’s 100 before Mandhana reached her half-century off 60 balls. Kaur followed suit in the next over.
The third-wicket stand appeared set to take India close, but Sciver-Brunt broke through as Kaur edged to Lamb at short third for 70. Sharma took over and supported Mandhana to push the score beyond 200.
Smith then removed Mandhana for 88, caught in the deep by Capsey. Sharma reached her fifty from 55 deliveries but Sciver-Brunt struck immediately after, removing Richa Ghosh for eight as Knight took a sharp catch at cover.
With three overs left, Ecclestone dismissed Sharma for 52, as Dunkley held on in the deep. India required 27 from the final 18 deliveries, but accurate bowling from Smith and Bell closed out the match, leaving India five runs short.
