India vs Australia Women’s World Cup Semi-Final: Australia Dominates as Litchfield’s Century Puts India on the Back Foot

NAVI MUMBAI, India: In a high-voltage clash under the DY Patil Stadium lights, defending champions Australia Women are firmly in the driver’s seat against hosts India Women in the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Opting to bat first after skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss, Australia reached a commanding 196/2 in 31 overs, powered by a sensational 155-run partnership between opener Phoebe Litchfield (119) and all-rounder Ellyse Perry (43). However, dark clouds gathering over Navi Mumbai threaten to play spoilsport, with forecasts predicting intermittent rain that could force a revised target or even a washout.

The match, which kicked off at 3:00 PM IST under partly cloudy skies, has already seen dramatic turns. India, desperate to end their semi-final drought against Australia a rivalry marked by heartbreak, including the hosts’ infamous 2017 final collapse – struck early through debutant Kranti Gaud. But Australia’s depth and resilience have kept India on the back foot, as the visitors eye a spot in their eighth straight World Cup final.

Healy’s Gamble Pays Off

Alyssa Healy’s decision to bat first on a batsman-friendly pitch, the same strip that hosted Sri Lanka’s high-scoring encounter with Bangladesh earlier in the tournament, looked shaky when India drew first blood. In the fourth over, Gaud, the 19-year-old left-arm pacer replacing the injured Renuka Singh, castled Healy for 12 with a peach of an inswinger that the Australian captain chopped onto her stumps. It marked Gaud’s fourth dismissal of Healy in five ODIs, sending ripples of excitement through the 25,000-strong home crowd.

“Pure gold from Kranti! That’s her fourth Healy scalp in five games,” cheered Star Sports commentator Harsha Bhogle on air. Healy’s early exit silenced her critics who questioned her form after a modest tournament (average 28.5), but it also brought Litchfield and Perry together – a duo that would torment India’s attack.

Litchfield’s Masterclass: From Promise to Milestone

Phoebe Litchfield, the 22-year-old New South Wales prodigy, turned the game on its head with a knock of pure class. Dropped on 9 off Deepti Sharma’s bowling, Litchfield made India pay dearly, racing to her second ODI century off just 87 balls. Her innings – laced with 14 fours and a towering six over long-on blended aggressive strokeplay with impeccable timing, exploiting the short boundaries and true bounce.

By the 26th over, Litchfield had notched up 103, her partnership with Perry swelling to 155 – the highest for the second wicket in Women’s World Cup semi-finals. “Litchfield is flying! She’s got that rare blend of power and precision,” tweeted BBC Sport’s live blog, capturing the sentiment as Australia ticked over at nearly seven runs per over.

India’s fielding, usually a strength, let them down. A tough chance off Litchfield at 103, grassed by Richa Ghosh standing up to the stumps, drew fury from Amanjot Kaur. But the breakthrough finally came in the 31st over: Amanjot, the all-rounder turning heads with her seam bowling this World Cup, trapped Litchfield lbw for 119. Replays confirmed the umpire’s call, ending a knock that included a fluent pull for four off Sharma’s final delivery of the over. The roar from the Indian dugout was deafening, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur pumping her fist.

Perry Anchors, Mooney Joins the Party

Ellyse Perry, ever the crisis manager, played the perfect foil to Litchfield’s fireworks. Her unbeaten 43 off 54 balls – including a crisp cover drive for four off Radha Yadav – was a masterclass in rotation of strike and selective aggression. A DRS reprieve on 6, when an lbw shout against her from Deepti Sharma was overturned (ball pitching outside leg), proved a turning point. Perry’s calm under pressure has been a hallmark of Australia’s 15-match unbeaten streak in World Cup ODIs since 2017.

Beth Mooney, promoted to No. 3 after her tournament average of 45, joined Perry and added a quickfire 5 off 3 balls before the rain threat intensified. At the halfway mark, Australia were 193/2, with the run rate hovering at 6.43. Commentators speculated a total north of 350 if the innings continues uninterrupted – a mountain India chased unsuccessfully earlier this month in Visakhapatnam, falling short in a record 331-run pursuit.

India’s Bowling Woes: Reviews Wasted, Pressure Mounting

India’s attack, led by Deepti Sharma (0/45 off 7) and Amanjot Kaur (1/32 off 6), struggled for consistency on a pitch offering little assistance. Shree Charani, the mystery spinner, leaked just 16 in her four overs but couldn’t break the stand. A wasted review on Mooney in the 30th over – ball pitching outside leg – summed up India’s frustrations, leaving them with one challenge remaining.

Harmanpreet Kaur rotated her bowlers smartly, bringing back Gaud for a second spell, but Australia’s middle order – including Annabel Sutherland and Tahlia McGrath waiting in the wings – looks primed to capitalize. “India need wickets in clusters now. One isn’t enough against this lineup,” noted ESPNcricinfo’s Shashwat Kumar during commentary.

Off the field, India’s camp is boosted by the return of Smriti Mandhana, who fired a match-winning 112 in the quarter-final against England. But with the ball, questions linger over the absence of a sixth specialist bowler – a tactical call that backfired in their league-stage thriller against Australia on October 12.

Rain Threat Could Rewrite History

As the match paused for drinks at 196/2, ominous clouds rolled in, prompting umpires to check the covers. The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for Navi Mumbai, with showers expected between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM IST – right in the middle of Australia’s innings. If rain intervenes substantially, Duckworth-Lewis-Stern could come into play, potentially handing India a revised target in a reduced-overs chase.

A washout would see Australia advance on net run rate (+1.234 vs India’s +0.567), extending their semi-final stranglehold over India (4-0 in World Cup knockouts). “Rain to have the final say? This is cruel cricket,” lamented NDTV Sports in a live update. Fans on X echoed the frustration, with #INDvAUS trending globally: “Heartbreak waiting to happen again? #CWC25 posted one supporter.

Head-to-Head: A Rivalry Steeped in Semi-Final Heartache

This semi-final revives ghosts of past duels. Australia’s seven World Cup titles include four semi-final wins over India, the most painful being the 2017 final where Harmanpreet’s 103 couldn’t overcome a nine-wicket rout. Their October 12 league clash was an all-timer: India posted 330, only for Healy’s 142 to anchor a three-wicket heist – the highest successful chase in women’s ODIs. India, unbeaten at home in their last five World Cup games, will draw fire from that loss.

Final Four Beckon

If Australia post 320+, India face a steep chase under lights, where dew could aid batting but expose their middle order. A par total around 280 might keep the hosts in the hunt, especially if Deepti and Yadav find turn later.

The winner advances to the final on November 2 in Ahmedabad against the victor of England vs South Africa. For India, a semi-final exit would sting, but it could fuel momentum into the 2026 T20 World Cup. As Perry eyes three figures and rain sirens wail in the distance, this thriller hangs in the balance.