Indore: England held their composure to edge past India by four runs and secure a spot in the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, England posted a competitive 288 for 8, powered by captain Heather Knight’s superb 109 off 91 balls (15 fours, 1 six) in her 300th international match. Amy Jones added a steady 56 off 68 balls. Though England were cruising at 249 for 3 in the 45th over, a late fightback from India — led by Deepti Sharma (4/51) and debutant Shree Charani (2/68) — triggered a collapse, with five wickets falling in the final five overs.
Chasing 289, India came close thanks to strong performances from Smriti Mandhana (88), Harmanpreet Kaur (70) and Deepti Sharma (50), but ultimately finished at 284 for 6, falling just short of the target.
The win confirmed England’s place in the semifinals alongside Australia and South Africa, while India, after their third consecutive defeat, now face a must-win clash against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.
