With a 53-run (DLS) victory over the White Ferns in Navi Mumbai, India eliminated New Zealand and Sri Lanka and guaranteed the final position in the World Cup semi-finals.
With three straight losses going into their penultimate group match, the co-hosts were in risk of losing out on the final four of the 50-over championship for the third time in four editions.
In the meantime, New Zealand, who are tied with India on four points, had two of their last games called off because of rain after winning one of their first three games.
With a 90-minute delay at the end of India’s innings that reduced the game to 49 overs per side and another delay that saw New Zealand’s chase modified to 325 from 44 overs, more rainy conditions momentarily threatened to disappoint both teams.
But with century from Pratika Rawal (her 122 (134) is the tournament’s second-highest total) and Smriti Mandhana (109 off 95), India easily earned the two points they needed to join Australia, South Africa, and England in the knockout rounds. New Zealand’s response was limited to 271-8.
If Sri Lanka and New Zealand win their remaining group games and India loses to Bangladesh, they might join them on six points, but neither team can match India’s three victories, which is the primary criterion used to separate teams.
India amassed the highest total of the tournament thanks to Jemimah Rodrigues’ blistering 76 (55), while Mandhana and Rawal were almost ever challenged by New Zealand’s bowlers, easily scoring 212 for the first wicket.
In response, New Zealand fell to 59-3, losing captain Sophie Devine and seasoned player Suzie Bates to single-figure scores.
But the White Ferns fought to the end thanks to half-centuries from Izzy Gaze and Brooke Halliday in the middle order, the latter from a stunning 39 balls.
Sophie Devine, the captain of New Zealand, said, “We are really upset. We needed more chances since this tournament has been tough.India deserves praise today. The girls’ perseverance in fighting makes me incredibly proud. Could we have been closer with a full fifty overs? Perhaps. Gutted beyond belief. We have five million people, but the countries we are playing against have 1.4 billion. We must keep that in mind.
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of India, said, “It wasn’t easy. The whole team deserves praise for the way we battled tonight; we understood how crucial this game was. It’s time to go big now that we’re starting to get noticed. Pratika and Smriti deserve praise. After the last three games didn’t go well, the team got up and we helped one another up. Everyone has high expectations for you if you perform at home. As a team, we are constantly talking about how this is our home, the crowd is supporting you, and now is the moment to have fun.”