India Women 6/0 in 4.0 Overs | India vs New Zealand Live Score, Women’s World Cup 2025: NZW win toss, opt to field; must-win game for INDW
India’s path to qualification remains straightforward with a win against New Zealand. However, a loss would complicate their situation, requiring England to defeat New Zealand and India to win their final group match against Bangladesh.
India enter this match following three consecutive defeats against Australia, South Africa, and England – all current semifinalists in this World Cup. These losses have exposed India’s vulnerability under pressure, particularly in situations where they appeared to be in control.
The team’s recent performance in Indore was particularly concerning, where they failed to chase 56 runs from 54 balls with seven wickets remaining on a favorable batting track. Captain Harmanpreet described this loss as a “heartbreak.”
The Indian team faces challenges beyond their playing combinations. Their inability to handle pressure in a home World Cup and the lack of specific skillsets have emerged as significant concerns for captain Harmanpreet and head coach Amol Muzumdar.
The team’s batting lineup has struggled to finish games, while the bowling unit lacks consistency. Richa Ghosh remains the primary source for big hits, putting additional pressure on leadership duo Harmanpreet and Smriti Mandhana to step up.
India’s preparation for this crucial match faced a setback when their training session was cancelled due to unseasonal rain on Tuesday. They have only Wednesday’s final practice session to assess the conditions at the venue.
The match venue, DY Patil Stadium, traditionally offers a batting-friendly surface. However, teams batting first must consider the dew factor in the second innings, which can challenge even experienced bowling attacks.
New Zealand enters this match with experienced players Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates leading their charge. The team has faced setbacks with two of their matches in Colombo being washed out due to rain.
Sophie Devine, currently the third-highest run-scorer with 260 runs including a century and two fifties in five matches, has expressed frustration about limited opportunities in World Cup events after their last rain-affected game against Pakistan.
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav and Uma Chetry.
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Isabella Gaze (wk), Maddy Green, Polly Inglis (wk), Bella James, Georgia Plimmer, Suzie Bates, Brooke Halliday, Amelia Kerr, Eden Carson, Bree Illing, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe and Lea Tahuhu.
