Smriti, seen here with coach Muzumdar, holds the key to India’s fortunes.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY
It’s almost funny how two teams with such similar problems find their campaigns in such different places. That’s what’s on the plate with the much-awaited Women’s World Cup clash between India and England at the Holkar Stadium here on Sunday.
The Women in Blue are battling turbulence after losing two big games — against South Africa and Australia — and will hope a better batting effort propels it to winning ways to avoid relying on complicated mathematics and their opponents to wriggle their way into the knockouts.
India has yet to defeat a SENA nation at global events since 2020. Facing an unbeaten yet imperfect England could be a good chance to rewrite that run, but it will need the sum of its parts and more. The fickle weather further adds to the drama.
Despite being a win away from booking a spot in the knockouts, England’s batting unit — besides skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight — finds itself in dire straits. That said, head coach Charlotte Edwards didn’t seem keen on tinkering with the XI.
Impressive swing bowling from Pakistan left the side reeling at 78for seven before a cloudburst saved England’s blushes. It was not a one-off, as Bangladesh and Marufa Akter will attest.
India can draw confidence from that. Renuka Singh, who has featured in just one fixture so far, is a potent new-ball option, but whether India will swap out a bowler or move on from its five-bowler strategy remains to be seen.
England’s bowlers, meanwhile, have barely put a foot wrong.
With left-arm spinners ruling the roost, England will bank on Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith to replicate what Inoka Ranaweera, Sadia Iqbal, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Sophie Molineux did against the host: make early inroads and unsettle a team that finds itself on the fast lane to panic station.
Published – October 18, 2025 08:41 pm IST
