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- India vs New Zealand Highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana centuries power IND to 53-run victory over NZ; qualify for semis
India vs New Zealand Highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana centuries power IND to 53-run victory over NZ; qualify for semis
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal put on a spectacular 212-run partnership off 202 balls, smashing centuries and setting a new benchmark. Mandhana scored 109 off 95 balls, striking 10 fours and three sixes, while Rawal made 122 off 134, recording her second WODI century and becoming joint-fastest to 1,000 runs in women’s ODIs. Returning to the side, Jemimah Rodrigues added a stroke-filled 76* from 55 balls, guiding India to 340/3 in 49 overs.
After electing to field, New Zealand were under pressure, tasked with chasing 325 in 44 overs due to rain delays. They managed 271/8, with Brooke Halliday top-scoring at 81 and Isabella Gaze remaining unbeaten on 65. Mandhana also took a crucial catch to dismiss Amelia Kerr for 45.
Mandhana’s century was her 14th in WODIs, now second only to Meg Lanning’s 15, and her fifth in 2025 alone. She has also amassed 1,259 runs this calendar year, making her the leading scorer. Rawal and Mandhana’s 1,557-run partnership in 2025 is only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly’s 1,635-run record in men’s ODIs for most runs by a pair in a year. Their 212-run stand was India’s highest opening partnership in women’s ODIs and the biggest for any wicket in Women’s ODI World Cups.
India accelerated after a cautious start, with Mandhana cutting, pulling, and driving with ease. Rawal and Rodrigues added 76 for the second wicket, punishing the New Zealand bowlers. Two of Mandhana’s four sixes came off Amelia Kerr.
With the win, India enter the semifinals as the fourth qualifier and will again play at DY Patil Stadium on October 30. Their final league match against Bangladesh now carries little significance, while New Zealand must reflect on missed opportunities and washed-out games earlier in the tournament.Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe and Lea Tahuhu.
Eden Carson to Smriti Mandhana, Another one that is angled onto the pads, Mandhana looks to sweep again but fails to get it away.
Eden Carson to Smriti Mandhana, FOUR! A loose delivery from Eden Carson to begin with and Smriti Mandhana doesn't let it go unpunished. Comes around the wicket and floats it full on leg stump. Mandhana sits down and sweeps it past short fine leg for a boundary.
- Smriti Mandhana 4 (15)
- Pratika Rawal 11 (21)
Sophie Devine to Smriti Mandhana, Very full, in fact, a low full toss outside off. Mandhana caresses it wide of deep point and picks up a single.
Sophie Devine to Smriti Mandhana, Good length in the channel, Mandhana wanders down the putch and just taps it down to mid off.
Sophie Devine to Smriti Mandhana, Nice and full, slanted across the left-hander. Mandhana looks to driv but gets beaten past the outside edge.
Sophie Devine to Pratika Rawal, Length ball again, outside off, just eased wide of point for a single by Rawal.
Sophie Devine to Pratika Rawal, Good-length delivery on middle and leg, Rawal stays put and nudges it towards mid-wicket. Rawal looks for the single but is quickly sent back.
Sophie Devine brings herself into the attack now.
Sophie Devine to Smriti Mandhana, Oh, that could have been curtains for Mandhana! A bit full and outside off, Smriti Mandhana goes reaching for it and drives it uppishly just to the left of the diving fielder at point for a single.
- Pratika Rawal 10 (19)
- Smriti Mandhana 2 (11)
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, FOUR! A second boundary in the over and India Women have a bit of momentum now. Too full again and wide outside off, Pratika Rawal goes after it and drives it uppishly past point for four more runs.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Takes pace off and bowls it around leg stump, Rawal turns it straight to square leg.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, On a good length and on off, Rawal presses back and punches it into the off side.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, FOUR! First boundary of the contest! Too full and on the pads, Pratika Rawal gets her head down and clips it through the vacant square leg region for a boundary.
Rosemary Mair to Smriti Mandhana, Hard length again, outside off. Mandhana walks down the pitch and eases it through cover-point for a single.
Rosemary Mair to Smriti Mandhana, Hard length over the top of off, Mandhana rocks back to pull but miscues it in front of square leg.
- Pratika Rawal 2 (15)
- Smriti Mandhana 1 (9)
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, Full and wide again, Pratika Rawal leans on and opens the face of the bat to drive it towards point.
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, Wide outside off again but angled back in quite a fair bit. Rawal drives on the up but finds the fielder at cover.
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, Wide! A full ball, bowled well wide of the off stump. Pratika Rawal leaves it alone and a wide is signalled.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, Full and straight, jammed out to the left of mid off for a quick single. Mandhana is off the mark after 9 deliveries!
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, A length ball slanted into the pads, tucked away neatly 'round the corner on the leg side by Pratika for a single.
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, Drags the length by a couple of inches and bowls it around off. Rawal is a bit early to drive at it and plays it uppishly towards the cover region.
Jess Kerr to Pratika Rawal, Comes wider on the crease and angles it full onto the stumps. Rawal leans on and eases it to covers.
- Smriti Mandhana 0 (8)
- Pratika Rawal 1 (10)
Rosemary Mair to Smriti Mandhana, Top delivery! Mandhana takes a step or two forward but Mair nails a yorker at the toes. It is dug out towards the wide slip where Maddy Green fails to hang on to a bump-ball.
Rosemary Mair to Smriti Mandhana, Full and straight, Mandhana lunges and drives it straight back to the bowler. A cautious approach thus far from the southpaw.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, First run off the bat for India Women! Pitched up around middle, Rawal pushes at it and gets an inside edge behind square leg for a single.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, A lot fuller this time and on off, played on the up but straight to mid off.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, A half-hearted appeal for LBW but Mair soon realizes that it would have missed leg stump. A genuine nip-backer on off, Rawal gets caught on the crease and the ball pings her on the front pad.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Loose shot! Short of a good length and wide outside off, Pratika Rawal doesn't move her feet and goes chasing for the ball, and almost ends up nicking it behind.
- Smriti Mandhana 0 (6)
- Pratika Rawal 0 (6)
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, A maiden! Nagging length, in and around leg stump and slanting across, Mandhana blocks it off.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, Length ball, pitches on off and angles away, Mandhana prods halfway forward and pushes it to extra cover this time.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, Full again, on off and middle, driven along the turf but straight to mid off again. No runs off the bat yet for India Women.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, This is bowled full and around off, close to a half-volley but Mandhana just strokes it on the up towards mid off.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, Full of a good length, angling it from leg to off, Mandhana defends it with a straight bat.
Jess Kerr to Smriti Mandhana, Starts with a very full ball on off, looking to slant it across the left-hander. Smriti Mandhana leans forward and eases it to mid on.
Jess Kerr to operate from the other end.
- Pratika Rawal 0 (6)
- Smriti Mandhana 0 (0)
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, India Women are off the mark with a couple of leg byes! Full and sliding down leg, Pratika Rawal looks to flick it fine but fails to get a bat on it. The ball goes off the pads down to fine leg for a couple of runs.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Missing leg! A shade fuller now and straighter, angling back in again. Rawal gets caught on the crease and plays all around it, getting hit on the pads.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Good length again, in the channel around off, Pratika Rawal gets on her toes and pushes it firmly to cover.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Good-length delivery, on off and angling back in. Rawal stays back and punches it out towards mid on.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, Drags the length back and angles it in towards the body. Rawal fails to tuck it away on the leg side.
Rosemary Mair to Pratika Rawal, A hint of swing early on! Full of a good length and outside off, slanting away from the right-hander, and Pratika Rawal just lets it through to the keeper.
A win over New Zealand and a loss against Bangladesh would leave India with six points, and they would be the only team at the tournament that can finish with that points haul and a total of three victories.
Done and dusted with the pre-match formalities and it is now time to get the play underway. The umpires make their way out to the middle, and the White Ferns can be seen in a huddle near the boundary ropes before striding out to the middle. Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal will open the innings for India Women as usual. Rosemary Mair has been handed the new ball and she is raring to go. Let's play...
As for New Zealand, the weather has been its most prominent opponent. Their last two matches, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, were washed out in Colombo.
India Women Playing XI: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(w), Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur.
This fixture is a must-win game for both teams in the race to the semi-finals, as three teams (Australia, South Africa, and England) have already secured their spots in the final four, and one place is up for grabs.
We are just a few minutes away from all the action, but first, the two sets of players, along with their mascots, walk out and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be the national anthem of New Zealand first, followed by that of India.
India Women's skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur, says that the pitch is looking very good and they have an extra batter in the lineup as well to go on and get a big total. Informs that Jemimah Rodrigues is in for Amanjot Kaur. Reckons that they have played good cricket but just haven't managed to get over the line in the last few games and it is a great opportunity today to do well.
Openers Smriti Mandhana (109 off 95) and Pratika Rawal (122 off 134) smashed centuries to lay the foundation, putting together an opening partnership of 212—the highest for India in women’s ODIs and the biggest for any wicket in Women’s ODI World Cups. Returning to the side, Jemimah Rodrigues contributed a brisk 76* off 55 balls, helping India post 340/3 in 49 overs.
In reply, New Zealand, chasing 325 in 44 overs after electing to field, fell short at 271/8. Brooke Halliday (81) and Isabella Gaze (65*) offered resistance, while Mandhana also grabbed a brilliant catch to dismiss Amelia Kerr (45).
Mandhana now has 14 WODI centuries, the second-most after Meg Lanning (15), and is the leading run-scorer in 2025 with 1,259 runs. Rawal became joint-fastest to 1,000 WODI runs in 23 innings. Their partnership of 1,557 runs this year is only second to Tendulkar-Ganguly’s record in men’s ODIs.
With this win, India advance as the fourth semifinalist and will face hosts again at DY Patil Stadium on October 30. Their final league match against Bangladesh holds little consequence, while New Zealand will rue their earlier washouts and lackluster performance in this decisive game.Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe and Lea Tahuhu.
Match Statistics
Venue
Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
