Magnificent centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal powered India to a 53-run win over New Zealand and into the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup on Thursday.
Co-champions India joined defending champions Australia, England and South Africa in the final four of the eight-nation tournament.
Openers Mandhana and Rawal put on 212 runs as India posted a mammoth 340-3 in 49 overs at a rain-battered DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Left-hander Mandhana hit 109 and Rawal hit 122 as the pair started cautiously but soon won the opposition bowling with plenty of boundaries.
In reply, New Zealand finished on 271-8, chasing a revised target of 325 in 44 overs to bow out of the semi-final with one match to spare.
The White Ferns, captained by Sophie Devine, were unlucky with two matches abandoned due to rain in Colombo.
“We are incredibly disappointed and disappointed, not only for ourselves but for our friends and family,” said Devine, who will play her final one-day international against England on Sunday.
“Disappointing tournament — would have liked more opportunities to play.”
India bounce back from three straight defeats to produce a clinical all-round display in their bid to win their first World Cup title.
“Whenever you play at home, everyone expects a lot from us,” skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said. “Our conversations are that the crowd is with us and this is the time to enjoy instead of push.”
Mandhana and Rawal took the match away from New Zealand during their marathon stand – India’s best for any wicket in the Women’s ODI World Cup.
Valiant Halliday and Gaze
Mandhana reached 100 with a single off Jess Kerr for her fifth hundred in 2025 and equaled South Africa’s Tazmin Brits for the most tons in women’s ODI matches in a calendar year.
He eventually ran into Susie Bates and was followed by a standing ovation from a raucous home crowd. The star hit 10 fours and four sixes in his 95-ball knock and was adjudged man of the match.
Rawal continued the charge with Jemimah Rodrigues, who made 76 not out, to bring up her maiden World Cup hundred and the pair put on 76 runs to push New Zealand further to the back.
Amelia Kerr dismissed Rawal with her leg but Rodrigues stood firm and hit normal boundaries.
Rain interrupted India’s innings after the 48th over and it took over 90 minutes to bowl the 49th and final over.
New Zealand’s reply was delayed by light drizzle and lost an early wicket when Bates departed for medium bowler Kranti Gaud in the second over.
Georgia Plimer returned her 25-ball 30 but was bowled by Renuka Singh’s medium-pace bowling.
Renuka struck again to send Devine back for six as New Zealand slipped to 59-3.
A late push from Brooke Halliday, who scored 81, and Isabella Gaze, who made an unbeaten 65, gave some life to their sixth-wicket stand chase of 72, but the required percentage always kept India in control.
India play their final league match on Sunday against Bangladesh at the same venue.
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