In a decisive Group Stage fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, New Zealand Women won the toss and opted to bowl first against India Women at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. With both teams tied on four points each, this encounter serves as a virtual quarterfinal, as the winner will move closer to a semifinal berth.
England, South Africa, and Australia have already sealed their places in the semifinals, while Bangladesh and Pakistan are eliminated from contention. Sri Lanka, with an outside chance, will be hoping for other results to go their way.
At the toss, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine chose to chase under lights, citing the possibility of dew later in the evening.
“We are going to have a bowl first today. The surface won’t change much and might get better under lights. Dew could play a part. These are the games every cricketer wants to play — a pressure match against India in India,” Devine said.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, meanwhile, remained confident despite recent losses.
“The pitch looks good and it’s a great opportunity to post a big total. Jemi comes in for Amanjot today. We’ve been playing well but need to convert our starts into big scores. This is a must-win and a chance to make it count,” Harmanpreet said.
India’s Predicted XI: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani
New Zealand’s Predicted XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (C), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Rosemary Mair
The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network and streamed online on the JioStar app from 3 PM IST.
With both teams fighting for survival, all eyes will be on Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur to anchor India’s innings, while Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine will look to lead New Zealand’s challenge in this high-stakes contest.
