The Unstoppable Force: Australia Blast Past India in a High-Scoring Semi-Final Thriller
Australia Women 338 all out in 49.5 overs (Litchfield 119, Perry 77, Gardner 63; Charani 2-49) beat India Women 248 all out in 43.1 overs (Rodrigues 71, Harmanpreet 55; King 4-38, Kim Garth 2-41) by 90 runs.
The Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, a cauldron of expectation, witnessed the brutal efficiency of a champion side as Australia clinically dismantled host nation India in the second semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025. In a match that was anticipated to be a neck-and-neck thriller, Australia’s batting might proved an insurmountable hurdle, resulting in a crushing 90-run victory. The defining narrative was woven by the willow of young Phoebe Litchfield, whose historic maiden World Cup century anchored a mammoth, record-breaking total of 338—the highest ever scored in a Women’s World Cup semi-final. While India showed flashes of resilience, the relentless pressure of chasing 339, compounded by a woeful fielding display, proved too much, extinguishing the host’s World Cup aspirations and setting up a mouth-watering final showdown between Australia and South Africa.
The Litchfield-Perry Masterclass: A Record-Breaking Foundation
Australia, winning the toss and opting to bat first under the warm Mumbai sun, suffered an early jolt when captain Alyssa Healy was dismissed cheaply by the probing pace of Kranti Gaud. This setback, however, merely set the stage for one of the most sublime and commanding partnerships of the tournament. The youthful exuberance of Phoebe Litchfield combined with the unflappable experience of Ellyse Perry to construct a 155-run second-wicket alliance that completely wrestled the momentum away from India.
At just 22 years of age, Litchfield showcased a maturity far beyond her years. Her batting was a captivating blend of power and precision, treating the Indian bowling attack with a blend of respect for their quality and a dismissiveness for their lengths. She punished anything short with venom, and the cover region was peppered with boundaries from her powerful drives. Her strike-rate-driven approach was perfectly suited to the modern one-day game. The moment arrived in the 23rd over when she brought up her maiden World Cup century—and in a semi-final, no less—becoming the youngest player in history to achieve the feat in a World Cup knockout match. She was simply sensational, finally departing for a magnificent 119 runs off just 93 balls, an innings laced with 17 fours and 3 towering sixes.
Complementing her perfectly was the seasoned Ellyse Perry, who, in a return to form, played the ideal anchor. Perry rotated the strike masterfully, scoring a patient yet fluent 77 off 88 deliveries. Her innings was a lesson in building an ODI total, ensuring the pressure never relented on the Indian bowlers. The hosts’ bowling attack, barring Sree Charani, looked toothless and predictable, but the real disappointment was the fielding. Dropped catches, including a crucial one of Litchfield, and a barrage of misfields allowed Australia to accumulate an estimated 25 extra runs—a costly currency in a high-stakes fixture. The crowd, for all its enthusiasm, groaned as one with every fumble, sensing the game slipping away early.
India's Mid-Innings Fightback and Gardner's Late Firepower
Just as the scoreboard threatened to rocket past the 350-mark, India found a much-needed lifeline. The spin trio of Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, and Sree Charani finally managed to stem the flow and, crucially, snap up wickets in quick succession. Amanjot Kaur provided the breakthrough, rattling Litchfield’s stumps, a wicket that broke the mammoth partnership. This ignited a short, sharp Indian comeback. Radha Yadav removed the well-set Perry, skidding a delivery onto her off-stump, and before long, Australia had stumbled from 180/2 to 265/6. The hosts had finally injected a frantic energy into their game, their bowling becoming tighter and more disciplined as the middle-order crumbled.
However, Australia’s legendary batting depth meant a final flourish was inevitable. Stepping up to the plate was Ashleigh Gardner, a player tailor-made for high-pressure finishes. Gardner took the attack back to the Indian spinners with devastating effect, striking four fours and four sixes in an explosive cameo. Her ruthless 63 runs off just 45 balls ensured the momentum shift was temporary. She stitched together a vital 66-run stand for the seventh wicket with Kim Garth, pushing the total past 300 and beyond the realm of a comfortable chase. When the final wicket fell, the scoreboard read a colossal 338, leaving India with a world-record chase of 339 runs to reach the final. It was a testament to the Australian philosophy: keep swinging, no matter the situation.
The Chase Collapses: Early Blows and the Weight of the Target
Chasing a target that bordered on astronomical, India needed a blistering start. They got a glimpse of it, but it was tragically fleeting. Shafali Verma, back in the side, hit a couple of early boundaries to raise the spirits of the home crowd, only to be trapped LBW by an in-swinging delivery from the ever-reliable Kim Garth for a quick 10. The silence that fell over the stadium was deafening. The pressure intensified when vice-captain Smriti Mandhana perished for just 7, nicking off to a brilliant piece of bowling, leaving India at 59/2 at the end of the first Powerplay. The dream was rapidly becoming a nightmare.
It fell to the experienced pair of Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur to resurrect the innings. They responded with characteristic fight, combining to build a defiant partnership that pushed the score past the 150-run mark. Rodrigues was the more fluent of the two, playing with her trademark wristy elegance to bring up a resilient half-century. Harmanpreet, battling her own inconsistent form, showed glimpses of her 2017 World Cup semi-final heroics with a punishing six over mid-wicket, reaching a gritty fifty.
But chasing 339 against this Australian bowling attack is an exercise in perfection, and even their best efforts were not enough. The introduction of leg-spinner Alana King, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, proved to be the final, fatal blow. King’s variations and immaculate lengths proved unplayable, and she broke the partnership by dismissing Harmanpreet and following it up with the wickets of Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh in quick succession. The middle order, already fragile under pressure, crumbled. Rodrigues soon followed, run out by a sharp piece of fielding, and the rest was mere formality.
India were eventually bowled out for 248 in the 44th over, falling short by a considerable 90 runs. Alana King finished with a match-winning spell of 4 wickets for 38 runs, a performance that stamped her authority on the tournament and rightfully earned her the Player of the Match award.
Australia’s Unyielding Legacy and India’s Hard Lessons
The victory confirms Australia’s standing as the undisputed titan of women’s cricket. Their performance was a perfect illustration of their all-round dominance: a record-breaking batting display supported by a deep bowling attack that applies constant pressure. For a team that finished top of the table, this win felt like destiny fulfilled. They now head to the final, brimming with confidence, ready to defend their title against a formidable South Africa side.
For India, the loss, while painful, highlighted glaring issues that need immediate attention. The lacklustre fielding proved to be the single most defining factor in the defeat, costing them momentum and valuable runs at key junctures. Their bowling attack, while showing flashes of brilliance, struggled to contain the flow on a batting-friendly pitch. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team will have to regroup, taking the positives from the fighting middle-order partnership, but acknowledging that against the best in the world, every single aspect of the game must be executed with perfection. The dream of a home World Cup triumph is over, but the fire of this rivalry remains well and truly lit.
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