The England women's cricket team has booked their place in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 semi-finals after a tense four-run victory over co-hosts India at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat, England posted a competitive total of 288/8 thanks in large part to a magnificent century from captain Heather Knight. Knight's 109 runs came off just 91 balls and featured 15 fours and a six. Opener Amy Jones also contributed a valuable half-century (56), establishing a solid foundation for the innings. India's Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 51 runs.
India's chase got off to a shaky start, losing an early wicket, but Smriti Mandhana (88) and Harmanpreet Kaur (70) built a strong partnership, keeping their side in contention. India's innings finished at 284/6, falling just short of the target. Nat Sciver-Brunt was instrumental in England's bowling efforts, taking 2/47, with support from Linsey Smith, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, and Lauren Bell who each claimed a wicket.
This victory marks England's fourth win in five matches and secures their place in the semi-finals, where they will join Australia and South Africa. England remains unbeaten in the tournament and currently sits in second place in the standings. India's loss is their third in a row, and they will need a significant turnaround in their remaining matches against New Zealand and Bangladesh to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
England will next face their rivals Australia in the semi-finals on Wednesday at the same venue, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
This win represents a significant achievement for England, particularly given the challenges they faced in closing out the match against a determined Indian side. Their ability to hold their nerve under pressure, despite some fielding errors, bodes well for their chances in the upcoming semi-final clash.
