India suffered their third consecutive defeat in a high-scoring clash at the ongoing World Cup, losing to England by 4 runs in Indore on Sunday despite an impressive all-round display from Deepti Sharma, who took 4/51 and scored a 57-ball 50. The narrow loss came after India faltered in the closing stages of their chase, allowing England to secure their place as the third team to qualify for the semifinals.
India appeared in control until Smriti Mandhana fell just 12 runs short of her century. With 55 runs needed off the final 53 balls, the Indian batters struggled to maintain momentum, failing to find boundaries consistently. As the pressure mounted, their attempts to hit big shots proved costly, with only six boundaries scored in the last ten overs.
Heather Knight's return to form
England got off to a strong start as Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones stitched together a 73-run opening stand. While Renuka Thakur and Kranti Goud struggled with their line and consistency, Beaumont chose a cautious approach, allowing Jones to make full use of the loose deliveries. India’s use of reviews was also poor during this phase, as they failed to capitalize on one and wasted another. The much-needed breakthrough came in the 16th over when Deepti Sharma cleaned up Beaumont with a delivery she missed while attempting a sweep, marking Deepti’s 150th ODI wicket.
Jones carried the momentum with a fluent half-century but soon chipped one to short midwicket. Even after the openers fell in quick succession, England maintained their rhythm on a pitch offering little assistance to bowlers. Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt built a steady 113-run stand for the third wicket, playing with composure and precision. Sciver-Brunt initially punished poor deliveries but was later contained by tight in-fielding, while Knight capitalized on fuller balls to keep the scoreboard ticking. Sciver-Brunt eventually perished attempting a lofted shot over covers for 39, but Knight pushed on to bring up her third ODI hundred, courtesy of an edge that found the boundary.
However, Knight’s run-out while attempting a second run halted England’s charge in the death overs. With new batters at the crease, England struggled to convert their platform into a big finish. The Indian bowlers, especially the slower ones, maintained tight lines and made scoring boundaries difficult. The English lower order found it hard to clear the in-field, losing five wickets in the final six overs while managing just 42 runs, eventually posting a competitive total of 288 for 8.
India lose despite coming really close
India’s chase got off to a shaky start with the early dismissal of Pratika Rawal, but a composed 125-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur set a firm base. Deepti Sharma further strengthened the innings with a 67-run stand alongside Mandhana, who adapted her usual aggressive game to counter England’s disciplined spin attack. Instead of her typical flair, she relied on calculated nudges and glances, playing a measured innings against bowlers consistently targeting her pads.
Throughout the early overs, Mandhana took a backseat as Harleen Deol and Harmanpreet took the lead. During the powerplay, she faced just 15 deliveries, and by the time she was dismissed in the 42nd over, she had faced 94 balls. Despite the flat pitch and quick outfield making shot placement easier, Harleen struggled against Lauren Bell’s variations but still managed to hit five fine boundaries. Harmanpreet looked more assured, tactically rotating strike and finding gaps to keep the partnership balanced. Her innings, however, ended just after reaching her half-century when a cut shot went straight to short third.
Charlie Dean’s accuracy early on troubled Indian batters, trapping Harleen lbw with a deceptive arm ball. She nearly dismissed Harmanpreet as well, but a review upheld the captain’s stay at the crease. Sophie Ecclestone, though largely quiet in her spell, struck at a crucial moment by dismissing Deepti, who mistimed a lofted shot and was caught in the deep. That wicket increased pressure on Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana to see India home. In hindsight, England’s total of 288 seemed slightly under par on such a batting-friendly pitch, yet India’s move to go one batter short—bringing in Renuka Thakur for Jemimah Rodrigues—proved costly, as the lower order couldn’t accelerate enough despite their late efforts against England’s clever change of pace.
SCORECARD: England 288/8 in 50 overs (Heather Knight 109, Amy Jones 56; Deepti Sharma 4-51, Shree Charani 2-68) beat India 284/6 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 88, Harmanpreet Kaur 70; Nat-Sciver Brunt 2-47, Linsey Smith 1-40) by 4 runs