India vs New Zealand, Women’s World Cup 2025: IND through to semifinals, flatten NZ by 53 runs

Shankar: Amol Muzumdar did say that Pratika Rawal had taken to international cricket as fish to water. The opener has proven her coach's words right with a composed hundred

Nitin Sharma: Pratika Rawal becomes the eighth Indian batter to hit two or more women’s ODI hundred for India. Harmanpreet Kaur with 14 women’s hundreds sits at the top of the list for India. Rawal’s first women’s ODI hundred had come against Ireland earlier this year when she played a knock of 154 runs.

PRATIKA RAWAL CENTURY: A 122-ball ton for the opener, her first of the World Cup. A big moment for her. Played some wonderful shots after a slow start, and now is striking at above 80.

Jemimah Rodrigues is always busy at the crease, and that is why there is a school of thought she'd have been good at No 3 all along. But anyway, she is here now and she moves on to a run--a-ball 13 with her 2nd four, this time a scoop off Melie. Actually more of a top edged sweep but enough for four.

Some running repairs for Pratika between the overs, looks like her hands are cramping.

Nitin Sharma: The 212-run partnership for the opening wicket between Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana is the fourth highest for the opening wicket and fifth highest for any wicket for India in women’s ODIs. The 320-run partnership between Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut against Ireland in 2017 remains the highest opening as well any wicket partnership for India in women’s ODIs. The 212-run partnership is the 30th highest partnership for any wicket in women’s ODI and 15th highest for the opening wicket in women’s ODIs.

India have actually decided to be flexible with their batting lineup.

Jemi comes in at No 3.

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: As much as the batting has been a treat to watch, that full toss from Kerr to Mandhana sums up New Zealand’s bowling performance after the Powerplay. The spinners were ineffective and now even when pace is brought back, the run flow has not stopped.

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: Very interesting to see neither Kaur nor Ghosh padded up in case a wicket fell at this stage.

SMRITI MANDHANA IN 2025: FIVE ODI CENTURIES

She was level with South Africa's Tazmin Brits coming into the World Cup on four. The SA Opener beat her to the record of the first woman to score 5 centuries in a calendar year. But now Smriti has caught up.

At 30-over mark, India reach 188 --- conventional wisdom suggests teams should double the score from here but that appears ambitious. India should be aiming for at least 350 from here.

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Screengrab: JioHotstar

Smriti Mandhana is perhaps going to let loose here! It's not been Melie Kerr's afternoon, first Smriti goes big with a slog sweep for third six. Then hits another sweep for four, this time finer. The 80s barrier has been crossed, Mandhana moves into the 90s.

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: A huge roar at the venue as the on-field call is overturned. Amelia Kerr could not believe there was bat on that. The partnership carries on

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: Rawal’s leg-side play to pace has been a standout feature in this innings. She has pounced on anything short and even taken on the full balls when the bowler has delivered from the commentary box end, despite a fielder being placed on the boundary almost always.

Melie Kerr comes back into the attack and Pratika welcomes her with a lofted drive down the ground, with the mid on fielder in, it goes for four. A 7-run over as we reach the halfway stage of this innings.

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: Rawal began very slowly, but has grown into her innings as the afternoon has progressed. Has been helped by some short stuff from the White Ferns bowlers, but she has played her part in building a very solid foundation for India.

Devine brings her back from the other end, a sign that New Zealand don't see much help for spinners here at least for now. Another 3-run over.

Rosemary Mair replaces Jess Kerr as New Zealand keep pace on from one end. Three singles in that over.

A reminder that India are playing one batter extra, so they can afford to go a bit harder here.

Meanwhile, a reminder of how Smriti-Pratika have clicked as a pair.

Shankar from Navi Mumbai: While the pitch has not aided the pacers or the spinners a lot, it has been surprising to see Devine not employ a slip for either of them right through the innings. Also, twice now, Mandhana has managed to get a four on the long-on boundary with square leg placed wide. Indifferent captaincy. 100 on the board for India in the 18th over. 50 for Smriti.

Oh delightful shot from Smriti Mandhana! We saw plenty of cuts and late cuts in Indore against England. And there is one more. Width from Jess Kerr on the angle and Mandhana plays it as late as possible, pierces the gap between the two ring fielders on the offside. A solid 8-run over for India, better rotation of strike.

BIG OVER FOR INDIA: First, Smriti dances down the track to change a full delivery into a full toss and deposits over midwicket fence for her second six of the match. Pratika then plays a lovely square cut for four. It's 12 runs from the over.

Time for drinks in what is apparently a very hot afternoon in Navi Mumbai. India getting a strong foundation laid out.

Shankar from DY Patil Stadium: Almost for the entirety of the innings so far, one fielder has been stationed on the cover boundary for the left-hander. Devine gave a hint to the Indian openers that Amelia Kerr would bowl a lot of googlies by keeping 4-6 on-side field in her first over. Meanwhile, Lea Tahuhu has not found her length so far in her first spell, and it has allowed Rawal to get her innings going, finally. Two fine shots in the 14th over and India’s run rate crosses the five run mark.

Tidy start by Melie Kerr, just three in that over. She is essentially a favourable matchup to Smriti also because she takes the ball away from the leftie with her googlies.

Melie Kerr time. The Mumbai Indians superstar knows a thing or two about playing in these parts. Expect PLENTY of googlies.

Nitin Sharma: India’s score of 40 for 0 is the lowest amount of runs the team has scored in the first powerplay in this World Cup. In the last match against England, India had scored 42 for 2 in the first 10. India’s highest powerplay total in this World Cup has bene 58 for 0 against Australia, where they finished up with a total of 330 runs in 48.5 overs before Australia chased the target in 49 overs with three wickets remaining.

THERE IS THE MILESTONE: 1,000 ODI runs for Pratika Rawal, in 23 innings. The fastest by an Indian, the joint fastest in women's ODIs ever. Gets there with a stylish pickup shot for four.

Lalith Kalidas:

And Pratika Rawal is now the joint-fastest woman to reach 1000 ODI runs in only 23 innings, equalling a 37-year-old record held by Australia's Lindsay Reeler.

Fastest to 1000 W-ODI runs (innings)

23 = Pratika*, Reeler

25 = Meg Lanning, Nicole Bolton

SIX! The shot that Smriti Mandhana would have loved to nail against England a few nights back... ...gets it right today, goes for six. That day she didn't come down the track, here she does and that gives her momentum. Takes on Eden Carson with the spin and clears the long off fielder.

For Pratika, the runs have just completely dried out in the last few overs, she is unable to get off strike and get that 1000th run.

Eden Carson comes on from the other end, the favourable match-up that NZ have for Smriti Mandhana. She starts around the wicket, but strays down the leg side and the Indian opener latches on to it quickly with a sweep for four. Much-needed for Smriti.

Pratika remains on 999 runs with a couple of dot balls at the end of the over.

Tidy first over from Devine.

Shankar from the venue: As was the case in the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh match, there is not a lot of movement off the pitch. As a result, Sophie Devine has opted not to keep even one slip in place.

Smriti gets off strike with NZ opting to keep a deep point in place. And finally, the first boundary of the match in the fifth over. Pratika gets a gift on her pad, and she flicks it through the gap through the square leg. A second boundary off the last ball but this one streaky as Pratika square drives uppishly.

Pratika now a couple of runs away from the 1,000-run milestone.

Short and wide from Mair to start the third over, but it moves away and Pratika can't get her bat on it. The next ball comes back into the right-hander, hits the pad, but sliding down so only half an appeal from NZ. Finally India get off the mark with the bat off the 16th ball of the day, first run for Pratika after 9 dot balls. Smriti plays out a couple of dots to close the over. India dotting up once again early on.

Shankar from the venue: A very patient start by the Indian openers. The first run off the bat came from the 16th ball of the innings. New Zealand has also been disciplined, giving the openers no width to score freely.

Confirmation of the playing XIs.

Shankar chips in from Navi Mumbai: The lower stands towards my right are a lot more filled than they were 30 minutes back. Not as much on the stands to my left