After suffering three consecutive defeats to South Africa, Australia, and England in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2025, India desperately needed a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive. New Zealand, with just four points from five matches, two games having been washed out due to rain, also needed a victory to stay alive in the tournament. However, the White Ferns faced a crushing defeat by 53 runs that ended their World Cup campaign.
India dominated all aspects of the game at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The openers, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, were the stars, each scoring a century. Though both started cautiously, Mandhana found her rhythm, finishing with 109 runs off 95 balls. Rawal took longer to settle, raising questions about her strike rate, but ultimately scored 122 runs off 134 deliveries.
After Mandhana’s dismissal, Jemimah Rodrigues stepped up as a pinch hitter, smashing an unbeaten 76 runs from 55 balls. Dropped in the previous match against England, she replaced Amanjot Kaur and was promoted to number three. Rodrigues seized the opportunity, playing an aggressive innings that helped India post a record 340 runs, their highest-ever total in an ODI World Cup.
The chase – as it went
Rain interrupted the match, reducing New Zealand’s chase to 325 runs in 44 overs. The target proved too steep, worsened by early setbacks. Suzie Bates was dismissed for just one run, and captain Sophie Devine managed only six runs. Amelia Kerr showed promise but struggled with strike rate, eventually departing after scoring 45.
Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze fought valiantly, with Halliday making 81 runs off 84 balls, while Gaze remained unbeaten on 65 runs. Despite their efforts, the lack of consistent support from the top order and the brilliant bowling from India, particularly Renuka Singh Thakur, who took two wickets, sealed New Zealand’s fate.
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