The Indian Women’s cricket team has reached its fifth semifinal in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, setting up a crucial knockout match against formidable Australia in Navi Mumbai. This marks a significant milestone for the Women in Blue as they aim to surpass their previous best performances in the prestigious tournament. Their journey to the semifinals in the 2025 edition wasn’t without its challenges, including a period of three consecutive losses that put their qualification in doubt. However, a decisive victory against New Zealand secured their spot in the top four with a game to spare. Their final league match against Bangladesh was unfortunately washed out. Now, they face the unbeaten defending champions, Australia, in a high-stakes encounter. India’s past best finishes in the Women’s ODI World Cup include two runner-up positions, achieved in 2005 and 2017. In 2005, under the captaincy of Mithali Raj, India reached the final, defeating New Zealand in the semis before succumbing to Australia. The 2017 campaign was particularly memorable, featuring a stunning semifinal victory over Australia, powered by Harmanpreet Kaur’s incredible century. Despite a strong position in the final against England, India narrowly missed out on their maiden title, falling short by nine runs in a heart-wrenching finish.
