India’s Harmanpreet Kaur during the practice session ahead of ICC Women’s World Cup India vs New Zealand match at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on October 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
The Women in Blue will be hoping to find their mojo when they face New Zealand in what would effectively be a virtual quarterfinal of the Women’s ODI World Cup.
Despite the festive fervour and forecasts of unseasonal rain, the tickets have been sold out for Thursday’s (October 23, 2025) fixture at the DY Patil Stadium.
India, which suffered three successive losses, would be hoping to inch closer to sealing a semifinal berth.
India is yet to play an ODI at the ground and has won just three of its eight T20Is here. The Indian players, however, can take confidence from their Women’s Premier League experience at the venue. The team understands that the red-soil surface would offer runs, and thus, the onus will be on the batters to deliver the goods.
Despite being a tournament favourite and the host, things have been far from perfect for the Women in Blue as they have struggled to win key moments.
India fell agonisingly short in the run chase against England as senior batter Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur failed to get the team across the line.
The skipper has scored 141 runs in five games, whereas Smriti scored half-centuries in the last two games after a string of low scores.
On conditions familiar to her, Jemimah Rodrigues is likely to return to the side. None of India’s top batters have been able to finish games, leaving the team heavily reliant on Richa Ghosh, and that’s a major concern.
Coming on the back of a rain-marred campaign in Colombo, New Zealand would be banking on Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates to come good in this crucial fixture.
As skipper Devine suggested India would start as a favourite, but then, it needs to remain calm and as the theme of the tournament suggests, show the ‘will to win’.
Published – October 22, 2025 09:29 pm IST
