In a stunning turn of events at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, October 19, 2025, India’s Women’s Cricket team suffered a shocking four-run defeat against England. What seemed like a comfortable chase, needing just 57 runs from as many balls with four wickets in hand, dramatically unraveled.
Despite strong groundwork laid by Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, which should have led to an easy victory in this crucial Women’s World Cup match, the team faltered. Smriti Mandhana, whose dismissal came in the 42nd over, has stepped forward to take full responsibility for the unexpected collapse.
“Our shot selections could have been much better, and that responsibility begins with me,” Mandhana stated. “We only needed six runs an over. Perhaps we should have played more cautiously and taken the game deeper. The entire collapse stemmed from my poor shot choice.”
She elaborated on her error: “I attempted to hit over the covers but completely mistimed it. In hindsight, that shot was simply not necessary at that point. I had been reminding myself throughout the innings to be patient and avoid aerial shots, but unfortunately, my emotions got the better of me, which never works out well in cricket.”
Mandhana openly admitted, “As I walked back to the pavilion, I was genuinely confident that we were going to win.”
Throughout their campaign, India has grappled with team balance issues. This led to a bold decision to field a six-bowler lineup, resulting in Jemimah Rodrigues being replaced by Renuka Singh Thakur for this match.
Mandhana explained that the specific conditions in Indore and the urgent need to find the optimal team combination influenced this significant roster change.
“In our last two matches, it became clear that five bowling options weren’t sufficient, especially on flat pitches like the one in Indore, or even during our second match in Vishakhapatnam against Australia. If one bowler has an off day with only five options, it can be incredibly costly. Dropping a talent like Jemi was an extremely difficult call, but sometimes these decisions are essential to achieve the right balance,” she elaborated.
The 29-year-old batter also pointed out that India lacks the bowling depth seen in rival teams such as Australia, England, or New Zealand, where more batters can contribute with a few overs. However, she assured that the team’s composition would remain flexible and adapt to each match’s specific circumstances.
“We don’t have the luxury of having our batters chip in with a few overs like many other international teams do. But this six-bowler setup isn’t a permanent fixture; we’ll assess the situation, the wicket conditions, and then decide on the best combination for each game,” she clarified.
Now, India’s hopes of securing the coveted final semifinal spot hinge entirely on winning their remaining matches.
“Nothing comes easily in cricket, that’s for sure. Our next game against New Zealand will essentially be a virtual quarterfinal, determining our entry into the top four. We don’t play this sport expecting easy days. We will all learn from this, acknowledging where we could have improved and where we went wrong. In sports, there are good days and bad days. The key is how we handle those challenging days and move forward,” Mandhana concluded, reflecting on the team’s resolve.