England gamers rejoice after qualifying for the semi-final of the Girls’s World Cup 2025 with a four-run win in opposition to India on the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, October 19, 2025. — ICCHeather Knight’s century anchors England’s innings.Smriti Mandhana’s wicket sparks Indian collapse.India set to face New Zealand in digital knockout.
4-time champions England booked their ticket to the semi-finals of the Girls’s World Cup after pulling off a nail-biting four-run win over hosts India in Indore on Sunday.
England had posted a aggressive 288-8 because of Heather Knight’s century and held their nerve within the subject to defend it, regardless of their bowling, often their robust swimsuit, being a spark off color.
India cruising in direction of victory, needing simply 62 runs off the final 10 overs with seven wickets in hand.
However the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana turned the tide, as scoreboard stress crept in and dot balls piled up. Quickly after, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma departed in fast succession, leaving the tail excessive and dry.
Reckless batting price India expensive. Mandhana’s downfall opened the floodgates when she danced down the observe to left-arm spinner Linsey Smith however did not clear long-off.
Then, after reaching her half-century, Deepti Sharma perished attempting to tackle Sophie Ecclestone, a slog sweep that discovered deep mid-wicket to perfection. From there, the writing was on the wall.
“We probably needed 300, but we did well to pull things back and I’m very happy. Didn’t contribute much in the last couple of games, so it felt good to come up with a match-winning hundred,” stated Knight, whose stylish 109 off 91 balls, laced with 15 fours and a six, was the spine of England’s innings.
England’s openers gave them a brisk begin with 73 runs for the primary wicket earlier than Knight joined captain Nat Sciver-Brunt in a 113-run stand that saved the scoreboard ticking.
At one stage, England seemed set to go previous 300, however Knight’s run out trying a second run triggered a slowdown, as India tightened the screws and conceded solely 74 runs within the last 10 overs. Deepti Sharma was the choose of the bowlers, ending with 4 wickets.
It was India’s third successive defeat, leaving their subsequent conflict in opposition to New Zealand a digital knockout. With each groups locked on 4 factors, it is a case of do or die to remain within the hunt for the final semi-final berth, with Australia, England and South Africa already safely via.
England, in the meantime, have been scientific, via to the semis with two video games in hand. They sit second on the desk with 9 factors, degree with defending champions Australia, separated solely by a whisker in Internet Run Price.
“Not sure how we lost this game. We had it in the bag. We’ve worked so hard and when the last five overs slip away from you, it’s heartbreaking. This is the third straight game we’ve lost after coming so close,” lamented India captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
