Delhi, 20 October (H.S.): Following India's heart-wrenching four-run loss to England in a Women's ODI World Cup 2025 league match on Sunday, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur pointed to the dismissal of vice-captain Smriti Mandhana as the critical turning point that cost her team the game. The tense encounter took place at Indore's Holkar Stadium.

Chasing a target of 289, India recovered from early setbacks thanks to a formidable 125-run partnership between Mandhana and Kaur. The captain was dismissed for a well-made 70 in the 31st over, but Mandhana continued to anchor the chase until she fell for 88 in the 42nd over. Her departure triggered a collapse as the Indian side faltered in the final overs, ultimately falling just short of the target.

Smriti's wicket was the turning point for us, Kaur stated in the post-match conference. We had batters, but somehow the match slipped from our grasp. Credit goes to England for not giving up and taking wickets consistently. When you have worked so hard and the last five or six overs don't go your way, it is very painful.

This was India's third consecutive defeat in the tournament, complicating their path to the semi-finals.We are playing good cricket and not giving up, but now we have to get across the line, Kaur added. We performed well in the last three matches but couldn't secure a win. Our bowlers did a fantastic job, especially when Heather Knight was batting. We need to reassess what went wrong in the final five overs.

India will now face New Zealand in a virtual do-or-die match in Navi Mumbai on October 23. A loss against the Kiwis would leave India's semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, requiring them to win their final league match against Bangladesh and depend on the outcomes of other games.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar