Women’s World Cup 2025: Here’s how India can qualify for semifinal after loss against England

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India’s Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign has taken a severe blow after the heart-breaking four-run defeat to England in Indore, marking their third consecutive loss in the tournament. With Australia, England and South Africa having secured the first three semi-final spots, the battle for the final fourth spot is now a direct, winner-takes-all scenario between the hosts, India and New Zealand.

The loss to England on October 19th in Indore leaves the Women in Blue with a dire qualification mandate: they must win both their remaining matches to guarantee progression.

With only one semi-final spot remaining, the permutations have simplified, making the upcoming clash against New Zealand a virtual quarter-final.

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The task for Harmanpreet Kaur’s team is now focused, with zero margin for error in the remaining two games, both to be played on familiar home grounds in Navi Mumbai.

Should the Women in Blue successfully navigate the final hurdles against New Zealand and Bangladesh to secure the fourth semi-final spot, their focus will immediately shift to the knockout fixtures. The three qualified teams are currently ranked as: 1. Australia (9 pts, NRR +1.818), 2. England (9 pts, NRR +1.490), and 3. South Africa (8 pts, NRR -0.440). The semi-finals are scheduled for October 29 (1st Semi-Final at Guwahati) and October 30 (2nd Semi-Final at Navi Mumbai).

The hosts would, as the 4th-placed team, most likely face the table-toppers, which will be a battle between Australia and England, likely positioning India for the tougher first semi-final. However, the final standings will determine the pairings (1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd). Despite the precarious position following three consecutive defeats, the Indian team, playing in front of their home crowds, still possesses the inherent talent and experience to stage a complete turnaround and reach the Final, scheduled for November 2 in Navi Mumbai. The one contingency remains that if Pakistan were to qualify, their knockout matches would be shifted to the neutral venue of Colombo.

Also READ: Women’s World Cup 2025: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur breaks silence on what cost India the match against England

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.