India Stun Australia With Record Chase: Revisiting 2025 World Cup Semi-Final Blockbuster

India completed a record-breaking chase of 339 runs to beat Australia by five wickets in their ICC Women's World Cup 2025 semi-final in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 30.

It's a monumental win, not just statistically, but emotionally, for India. The hosts had lost to every knockout-qualified team (South Africa, Australia, and England) in the group stage and had never chased a 200+ target successfully in a World Cup match.

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In their group-stage meeting with Australia, India failed to defend a 331-run target as the record seven-time champions, powered by skipper Alyssa Healy's 142, stamped their authority with a three-wicket win. That had marked Australia's 49th win in 60 meetings with India in the format.

Yet, India turned the tide against the most dominant side in women's cricket as Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten 127 and Harmanpreet Kaur's 89 rewrote the script to end the Aussie reign, sending the hosts to their first-ever World Cup final on home soil.

This is the first time any team, in either the men's or women's ODI World Cup knockout stages, have overhauled a target of 300 or more. The previous highest, 298, came in the Men's ODI World Cup 2015 last-four match between New Zealand and South Africa in Auckland. Such is the magnitude of the win.

In fact, the previous highest total chase in a Women's ODI World Cup knockout match was 219 by England against South Africa in the 2017 semi-final. In their 2025 redux, the Proteas hammered England by 125 runs after posting 319/7.

Now, for the first time in the tournament's history, there will be a final without Australia or England. New Zealand remain the only other nation to have won the title, while India were runners-up in 2005 and 2017, and the West Indies reached the final in 2013.

A Formidable Total And Calculated Chase

Under overcast conditions, Australia had set the tone early at DY Patil Stadium, with Phoebe Litchfield's fluent 119 off 93 and Ellyse Perry's patient 77 off 88 lifting them to a formidable total of 338 in 49.5 overs.

With Indian bowlers struggling, Ashleigh Gardner played a late blitz (45-ball 63), and at the halfway mark, the defending champions looked poised to extend their dominance.

India's chase began with tension. Shafali Verma, coming in for injured Pratika Rawal, fell early, and Smriti Mandhana's dismissal in the 10th over left India struggling at 59/2. But 25-year-old Rodrigues, promoted to No. 3, anchored the innings like a seasoned pro.

Her partnership with captain Harmanpreet was the turning point — a 167-run stand that broke Australia's famed stranglehold in the middle overs. Not always a certainty in the playing XI, Rodrigues played a career-defining knock, facing 134 deliveries under immense pressure.

"When I cannot carry on, my teammates can encourage me. Cannot take credit for anything, I did not do anything (on my own)," Rodrigues said, fighting back tears. "Each and every member of the crowd who chanted, cheered and believed, and for every run they were cheering, that pumped me up."

Jemimah didn't even celebrate her hundred and only let it rip once the match was over, after confirming India's spot in the final.

Harmanpreet, who had faced criticism for her form earlier in the tournament, was emphatic. "She (Rodrigues) is someone who always wants to do well for the team. Always very calculative and wants to take responsibility," she said.

The final overs saw Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur scoring runs at a brisk rate. Kaur then sealed the chase with a four off Sophie Molineux in the penultimate over -- a five-wicket win with nine balls to spare.

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Ending A Streak, Again; And A Home Run

The win ensures a third World Cup final for India, but the first at home — and the first with a chase of this magnitude. It also snapped Australia's 15-match World Cup winning streak (2022 to 2025).

Australia's previous defeat in the World Cup was also against India, in the 2017 semi-final in Derby, which ended another 15-match winning streak, from 1997 to 2000.

India face South Africa in Sunday's final, at the same venue, with both teams chasing their maiden title. "This is a great time for us to deliver for our fans and family," Harmanpreet said. "Hopefully, one more game to go, and we will keep giving our best."