Daijiworld Media Network – Indore

Indore, Oct 20: Four-time champions England secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup with a thrilling four-run victory over hosts India in Indore on Sunday.

England posted a competitive 288-8, anchored by Heather Knight’s brilliant 109 off 91 balls, featuring 15 fours and a six. Despite an off-colour bowling display, England held their nerve to defend the total.

India seemed poised for victory, needing 62 runs off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand, but the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana changed the momentum. Subsequent wickets of Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma left the Indian tail exposed, and the hosts fell agonizingly short. Mandhana struggled to contain her emotions after the loss.

Knight, whose innings was pivotal, said, “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.”

England’s openers laid a strong foundation with 73 runs for the first wicket, followed by a 113-run stand between Knight and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. Although England looked on course for 300, Knight’s run-out slowed the scoring in the final overs, allowing India to tighten the chase. Deepti Sharma finished as India’s best bowler with four wickets.

For India, it marked the third consecutive defeat, leaving their upcoming clash against New Zealand a virtual knockout for a semi-final berth. Both teams are tied on four points, while Australia, England, and South Africa have already progressed.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her disappointment: “Not sure how we lost this game. We had it in the bag… 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.”