People selling replica jerseys outside a stadium is one of the signs that a big game is coming up. Outside Holkar Stadium in Indore, vendors selling caps, flags and jerseys with “Smriti 18” and “Harman 23” among others, were spotted as early as Friday afternoon, a full two days before the India vs England match of the Women’s World Cup 2025.
India must win this contest to avoid making their next two games a knockout. They go into it on the back of successive defeats to Australia and South Africa, with just four points in four games. England, on the other hand, are yet to lose a match in this tournament (although Pakistan did give them a mighty fright)
India have had a week-long break since their last match. After they reached Indore on Monday, they had one day off when they went to Ujjain and attended full-tilt training sessions on Wednesday and Friday. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana opted to train on optional days in between as well.
Going by the intensity and the meticulousness of their practice, India are aware of how big this game is with only two of the four semi-final spots still up for grabs. But their recent record against England should act as a confidence-booster. Since the 2022 World Cup, India have won five of the six ODIs the two sides have played against each other.
Under the new leadership of head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, England have punched above pre-tournament expectations. Their spinners have picked up 24 of the 30 wickets the team has at this World Cup. The batting though remains a problem with only Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt showing the kind of mettle needed to win these events.
Still “if someone had said to me a few weeks ago, we’d be in the position we are in, having been unbeaten, I would have taken it,” Edwards said on Saturday. “Our best cricket is in front of us. These are the occasions you want to play or be a part of as a player and as a coaching staff.”
A sellout crowd in Indore is about to be treated to a high-profile game with lots of jeopardy.
In this World Cup so far, India have lost 15mwickets to left arm spin. That is the most by any team. They have also faced the most overs against this style of bowling. And England have two left-arm spinners in Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith.
Ecclestone has dismissed Smriti Mandhana four times in 12 innings while Smith dismissed her in the rain-affected ODI at Lord’s in July. Harmanpreet has also fallen three times in ten innings to Ecclestone and once to Smith.
Some of these numbers may stem from India’s preference to attack left-arm spin (5.01 runs per over). Only England (5.44) and Australia (5.25) have scored quicker against this type of bowling since 2023. However, those two teams appear to be managing the risks that come with this kind of aggression better. Australia (45.63) and England (37.19) average much higher than India (27.79)
One of the India top order’s focus in their training on Friday was hitting with the spin and using their feet. A delicious contest awaits us on Sunday.
There were questions raised about the absence of the sixth-bowling option after India’s defeats to South Africa and Australia. But they are set to go into Sunday’s clash with the same balance, with Harmanpreet chipping in with a few overs if needed. India could also bring in Renuka Singh for Amanjot Kaur, who did not train on each of the two days before the game.
India (possible XI): Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh
Both Ecclestone and Lauren Bell have recovered from the illness that ruled them out of the Pakistan game and are available for selection. So expect them to slot back into place ahead of Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott.
England (possible XI): Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Emma Lamb, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
[Cricinfo]
