Sports News: The crucial World Cup unpeace between India and New Zealand witnessed rain interruptions. Without 48 overs of batting, rain halted India’s innings. Following a long delay, umpires reduced the match to 49 overs. Once play resumed, India batted the remaining over and posted a massive total. The Indian side ended at 340 runs for three wickets, thanks to sunny centuries by Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal.
Mandhana’s Sunny Century
Smriti Mandhana welded the innings with an outstanding 109 runs off 95 balls. Her knock included 10 boundaries and four sixes, setting the foundation for India’s dominance. Alongside her, Rawal gave the perfect support as both widow increasingly than 200 runs for the first wicket. Mandhana’s warlike yet well-balanced batting made sure India had the upper hand early in the game.
Rawal’s Match-Winning Knock
Pratika Rawal scored 122 runs from 134 deliveries, striking 13 fours and two sixes. Her steady batting frustrated New Zealand’s bowlers, ensuring India stayed superiority in the match. The Rawal-Mandhana partnership sealed the momentum for India. Later, Jemimah Rodrigues boosted the score remoter by hitting 76 runs off 55 balls. The tutorage Harmanpreet Kaur, however, failed to unhook once then with just 10 runs.
DLS Target for New Zealand
India’s total of 340 in 49 overs meant New Zealand needed 341 runs to win. But flipside spell of rain forced a Duckworth-Lewis adjustment. The revised target was 325 runs in 44 overs. It was a challenging ask, and New Zealand’s innings got off to a disastrous start with quick wickets.
Early Swoon of New Zealand
New Zealand’s opener Suzie Bates was dismissed with the score at just one run. Amelia Kerr and Georgia Plimmer attempted to stabilize with a 50-run stand. But once Plimmer fell for 51, India seized control. Soon after, tutorage Sophie Devine departed for only six runs. Wickets unfurled to tumble, and New Zealand could never recover from the collapse.
Semi-final spots sealed
Four teams remaining in the venery for the coveted #CWC25 trophy are now confirmed https://t.co/E4R02dgvdE
— ICC (@ICC) October 23, 2025India Dominates the Points Table Race
With this victory, India moved to six points on the table, placing them firmly in the semifinal race. Australia leads with 11 points, South Africa is second with 10, and England holds nine points at third. New Zealand, stuck on four points, faces elimination. India now occupies the fourth spot, and their semifinal entry looks scrutinizingly guaranteed.
Next Match Versus Bangladesh
India’s final league match will be versus Bangladesh on October 26. With semifinal qualification nearly confirmed, this game could serve as final preparation for the knockout stage. Fans now expect the Indian women to siphon this form forward. The dream of lifting the World Cup remains alive, with Mandhana and Rawal’s heroics leading the way.
