India’s famed batting lineup finally came alive at the Women’s World Cup 2025, posting a huge total of 330 runs against Australia. It was a record-breaking effort the first time any team had scored over 300 while batting first against the mighty Australians. Yet, despite this landmark achievement, India fell short by what captain Harmanpreet Kaur called “30 to 40 runs,” losing the match in a high-scoring thriller.
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Strong Start, Sudden Collapse
After a brilliant start from the openers, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, both scoring half-centuries, India looked set for a massive total. At one stage, they were cruising at 294 for 4 in 42.5 overs. But the momentum was lost as the team suffered a sudden collapse, losing six wickets for just 36 runs. They were bowled out with seven balls remaining a disappointing end after such promise.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that India missed a golden chance to push past 350.
“The way we started, we thought if we could have added 30-40 more runs, it would’ve been different,” she said. “We kept losing wickets in the last six-seven overs and couldn’t capitalise on a flat batting pitch.”
Australia’s Historic Chase
Australia, led by the experienced duo of Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry, pulled off the highest successful ODI chase in women’s cricket history, showcasing their batting depth and composure under pressure. Despite India’s strong total, the defending champions proved why they remain the most formidable team in world cricket.
Coach Amol Muzumdar: “Finishing is Key”
Head coach Amol Muzumdar echoed Harmanpreet’s thoughts, emphasizing the importance of finishing matches strongly both with the bat and the ball.
“A good start is important, but a better finish is what wins you games,” Muzumdar said. “If we had added 20 more runs today, maybe things would’ve gone differently. We saw the same issue against South Africa when we couldn’t defend 251 despite being in control.”
India have now lost two close matches in a row, both slipping away in the final overs one with seven balls left, and another with six. Muzumdar acknowledged that India’s bowling unit has struggled to close out games, especially when using only five frontline bowlers in batting-friendly conditions.
Should India Change Their Combination?
With their next match against England in Indore, a ground known for high scores, the question arises will India add an extra bowler to strengthen their attack?
Muzumdar hinted at possible changes:
“We’ll review the team combination and have a discussion. The management will decide the best approach for the next match.”
However, Harmanpreet seemed confident in sticking with India’s existing formula of five batters, one wicketkeeper, three allrounders, and two bowlers.
“This combination has given us success in the past,” she said. “Two bad games won’t shake our belief. We just need to sort out a few areas and come back stronger.”
Addressing the Dot-Ball Problem
One major improvement from India’s previous games was their reduction in dot balls an issue that had plagued their earlier matches. Against Australia, five of India’s top seven batters struck at a strike rate above 100, a clear sign of intent.
Muzumdar credited team discussions for this progress:
“After the last match, we had a detailed talk about reducing dot balls. We’ve been playing aggressive cricket, and today’s performance reflected that. The dot-ball percentage dropped to about 48%, but we still want to bring it down further.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives for India strong top-order batting, improved intent, and lessons in finishing better. Both Harmanpreet Kaur and Amol Muzumdar stressed that the team is on the right path and learning from every match.
As India prepare to face England in Indore, the focus will be on balance, composure, and consistency. With the tournament heating up, India’s ability to convert strong starts into match-winning finishes could define their World Cup campaign.
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