NAVI MUMBAI — The pressure was sky-high at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy on October 30th, as India Women locked horns with Australia Women in a blockbuster ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 semifinal. With a dream of lifting their first-ever ODI World Cup trophy on home soil, India found themselves facing perhaps the toughest opponent in the women’s game — especially with history stacked against them and rain clouds looming dangerously over Navi Mumbai.
Australia, after winning the toss and opting to bat first in front of a near-capacity crowd, wasted little time in stamping their authority. By the 24.3-over mark, the Aussies cruised to 157/1 — with their experienced top order showing exactly why they remain the most decorated team in women’s cricket. Alyssa Healy was the lone wicket to fall, caught by Kranti Gaud, but her wicket did little to halt Australia’s aggressive start.
A difficult journey for hosts, emotional day for teams
The contest bore extra weight beyond cricket: both sides wore black armbands to honor Ben Austin, the 17-year-old Australian cricketer who tragically passed away on a cricket field earlier that morning. The minute of silence observed prior to the match underscored both grief and unity across teams.
India, meanwhile, arrived at this semifinal after an incredibly taxing campaign. Despite stumbling with three consecutive losses in the league stage, they clawed back into the final four. The absence of opening batter Pratika Rawal due to injury meant that young Shafali Verma, known for her explosive starts, was drafted in as replacement — a bold gamble in a match for the ages.
Australia’s dominance: By the numbers
Australia’s mastery in these situations is built on years of World Cup pedigree: they’ve won 49 of 60 ODIs against India and 11 of 14 Women’s World Cup meetings, not to mention their four T20 and one ODI World Cup titles. 2025 marks the fifth clash between the sides this year, with Australia holding a 3-1 edge going into this semifinal.
Still, echoes of Harmanpreet Kaur’s legendary 171* in the 2017 Derby semifinal — a knock that shifted the balance of women’s cricket in India — lingered over today’s crunch encounter. For India, with Smriti Mandhana, captain Harmanpreet, and now Shafali Verma in the XI, hope is alive, even if the score and the odds favor the visitors at the halfway stage.
The rain, always an uninvited guest in Indian monsoons, threatened to spoil the script. But for now, cricket — and collective memory — marched on inside a stadium awash with anticipation.
