How Can India Qualify for Women’s World Cup Semi-Final After Four-Run Loss vs England?
After a narrow loss to England, India must win both remaining Women’s World Cup 2025 games against New Zealand and Bangladesh to stay in the semi-final race.
India’s four-run defeat to England in Indore has pushed them to the edge of elimination from the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
With only two matches left in the group stage, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team now face a tough road to the semi-finals and can’t afford another slip-up.
After five matches, India sit fourth on the points table with just four points and a negative net run rate. The loss to England was their third in a row, and the equation is now simple, win both remaining games or head home early.
India will next face New Zealand on October 23 and Bangladesh on October 26. Both games are must-wins if they hope to make the last four. Two victories would take India to eight points from seven matches, which should be enough for qualification regardless of other results.
However, if India win only one of the remaining matches, things get tricky. A single win will leave them on six points, meaning they will have to depend on other results, and net run rate, to sneak into the semi-finals.
If India beat New Zealand but lose to Bangladesh, they’ll need New Zealand to lose their final game against England to keep them behind on points. India would also have to win one of their matches by a big margin to stay ahead on net run rate.
Similarly, if India defeat Bangladesh but fall to New Zealand, they will once again rely on New Zealand losing to England, while also maintaining a better net run rate than the rest.
Either way, Thursday’s clash against New Zealand is now a virtual knockout. A win keeps India alive; a loss could end their World Cup journey.
