Their last two fixtures were washed out, and now they face a must-win situation in both remaining matches, against India and England, to stay alive.
Photo: IANS
The pressure is mounting on the Indian women’s team like never before. After three consecutive defeats in matches that could easily have gone their way, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side finds itself under increasing scrutiny, and five games into the tournament, they are still searching for the right combination. Yet, as they return to more familiar conditions in Navi Mumbai, a venue several players know well from the WPL and T20Is, the equation is simple, beat New Zealand and virtually secure a place in the semi-finals.
Tied with the White Ferns and Sri Lanka on four points, but ahead of their opponents on net run rate, a victory over New Zealand will take Harmanpreet’s team to six points and winning their last league match against Bangladesh at the same venue on Sunday will propel them to eight points and seal their berth in the semifinals, as New Zealand can then best reach six points by defeating the already qualified England.
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A loss to the White Ferns on Thursday will not end India’s hopes as they can still join South Africa, Australia, and England in the semifinals, by beating Bangladesh in their last league match and hope that England gets the better of New Zealand in the final league match of the competition.
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New Zealand, however, are equally desperate. Their last two fixtures were washed out, and now they face a must-win situation in both remaining matches, against India and England, to stay alive. It’s a tall order, but not impossible for a side that recently marked the one-year anniversary of their T20 World Cup triumph, a campaign that began with a victory over India.
Historically, the White Ferns hold the edge in head-to-head meetings, winning 34 of the 57 ODIs between the two sides, including six of the last nine since 2022. This World Cup, though, has been a mixed bag for Sophie Devine’s outfit.
Heavy losses to Australia and South Africa were followed by a morale-boosting win over Bangladesh. But the reliance on Devine for runs remains a concern, while their limited spin options in Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson, have struggled to make an impact on sluggish tracks.
India, meanwhile, have lacked consistency in both selection and execution. Different players have stepped up at different times, but a settled first-choice XI continues to elude them. Against England, they dropped Jemimah Rodrigues to include an extra bowler, a move that initially looked effective as England were restricted to 288 for 8 despite a strong start. But India’s batting unit once again crumbled under scoreboard pressure, continuing a worrying trend of failed chases.
The weather could yet play a decisive role. Devine described the rain interruptions in Colombo as “frustrating,” and the early forecasts for Navi Mumbai suggest more of the same. Heavy rain lashed the venue for over two hours two days before the match, cancelling India’s scheduled training session on Tuesday.
A washout, though, would benefit India, who have a relatively easier final fixture against an out-of-form Bangladesh. For New Zealand, on the other hand, the road ahead is far more daunting as they need to overcome England to have any hope of progressing.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, and Arundhati Reddy.
New Zealand: Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Gaze, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Brooke Halliday, Amelia Kerr, Eden Carson, Bree Illing, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe, and Lea Tahuhu
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