India stormed into the Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-finals with a 53-run DLS victory over New Zealand at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, snapping a three-game skid in emphatic fashion and reigniting their title push.
Fixture: India Women vs New Zealand Women — 24th ODI, Women’s WC 2025
Venue: Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Result: India Women won by 53 runs (DLS method)
Quick Summary Table
| Team | Score | Overs | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| India Women | 340/3 | 49.0 ov | Set the platform with a 212-run opening stand |
| New Zealand Women | 271/8 | 44.0 ov (target 325) | Fell short despite Halliday (81) & Gaze (65*) |
Note: Rain interrupted the game late, trimming India’s innings and reducing New Zealand’s chase to 44 overs with a target of 325 under DLS.
How the match was won
1) Opening masterclass from Mandhana & Rawal
India’s reply to a recent wobble was emphatic. Smriti Mandhana (109 off 95) and Pratika Rawal (122 off 134) put on 212 for the first wicket in 33.2 overs, neutralising the new ball and then accelerating. Mandhana’s timing lit up Navi Mumbai, while Rawal anchored and then shifted gears in the back half.
Key Indian partnerships
- 1st wicket: Rawal 87 (107) & Mandhana 109 (95) — 212 runs
- 2nd wicket: Rawal & Jemimah Rodrigues 76 (58)* — 76 runs
- 3rd wicket: Rodrigues & Harmanpreet Kaur 10 (11) — 48 runs
India closed on 340/3 (49 ov) after a short rain delay.
2) New Zealand’s chase: early strikes, late defiance
New Zealand needed 325 from 44 overs and lost momentum early. Renuka Singh Thakur (2/25) removed Georgia Plimmer (30) and Sophie Devine (6) around a tight start, while Kranti Goud (2/48) nicked out Suzie Bates (1) and returned to dismiss Jess Kerr (18) late.
In the middle overs, Amelia Kerr (45) steadied, but Sneh Rana (1/60) broke a developing stand. A spirited rear-guard from Brooke Halliday (81 off 84) and Isabella Gaze (65 off 51)* kept the scoreboard lively—Gaze’s first ODI fifty—yet India’s cushion was too big. New Zealand finished 271/8.
Player of the Match: Smriti Mandhana
Mandhana’s 109 (10×4, 4×6) was the tempo-setter India needed. The landmark knock also moved her to 5194 runs as an ODI opener, surpassing Suzie Bates’ 5089 — the most by any batter while opening in Women’s ODIs. It was also her 18th Player of the Match in Women’s ODIs, putting her among the format’s most frequent match-winners.
Captain’s takeaway
- Harmanpreet Kaur lauded the team’s resilience after three narrow losses and praised the top order for converting starts into hundreds. She flagged bowling consistency as the key area to tighten before the knockouts.
- Sophie Devine acknowledged India’s par-busting total on a true surface and highlighted bright spots in Gaze and Halliday, while reflecting on a frustrating, rain-hit campaign for the White Ferns.
Scorecard highlights
India Women — Batting
- Pratika Rawal: 122 (134), 13×4, 2×6 — c Rowe b A. Kerr
- Smriti Mandhana: 109 (95), 10×4, 4×6 — c Rowe b S. Bates
- Jemimah Rodrigues: 76* (55), 11×4
- Harmanpreet Kaur: 10 (11)
- Richa Ghosh: 4* (1)
Extras: 19 | Total: 340/3 (49 ov)
New Zealand Bowling: R. Mair 1/52 (8), J. Kerr 0/51 (8), S. Devine 0/34 (6), E. Carson 0/46 (6), L. Tahuhu 0/37 (4), A. Kerr 1/69 (10), S. Bates 1/40 (7)
New Zealand Women — Batting
- Brooke Halliday: 81 (84), — c Rana b Charani
- Isabella Gaze: *65 (51)**
- Amelia Kerr: 45 (53) — c Mandhana b Rana
- Georgia Plimmer: 30 (25),
- Jess Kerr: 18 (13)
- Sophie Devine: 6 (9)
- Suzie Bates: 1 (6)
Extras: 6 | Total: 271/8 (44 ov) — Target 325 (DLS)
India Bowling: Renuka 2/25 (6), Goud 2/48 (9), Rana 1/60 (8), Charani 1/58 (9), Deepti 1/57 (8), Rawal 1/19 (4)
Quick stats that stand out
- 600+ aggregate: This was a high-scoring thriller, adding to the short list of Women’s World Cup ODIs with 600+ combined runs, including India vs Australia (661 at Vizag, 2025) and this game (611 at DY Patil).
- Gaze’s milestone: Isabella Gaze’s 65* is only the second fifty or more by a New Zealand batter from No. 7 or lower in Women’s World Cup history.
- PoM leaders (Women’s ODIs): Stafanie Taylor (28), Mithali Raj (20), Smriti Mandhana (18), Charlotte Edwards (17), Ellyse Perry (17).
- Streak snapped: India ended a three-match losing streak, timing their best batting day of the tournament to clinch qualification.
Knockout dates
- 1st Semi-Final: Wed, 29 Oct 2025 — Guwahati (Barsapara)
- 2nd Semi-Final: Thu, 30 Oct 2025 — Navi Mumbai (DY Patil)
- Final: Sun, 2 Nov 2025
India face Bangladesh next (league) before the semi-final on 29/30 October. If the batting rhythm continues and the spinners rediscover control, India will carry serious momentum into the knockouts.
India have timed their run perfectly—big runs up top, early wickets with the new ball, and a clear plan to polish before the semis. The Women in Blue are back in the title conversation.
