India's Historic Win Over Australia: Talking Points From Heady Women's World Cup Semi-Final

India pulled off a record-breaking effort in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 semi-final, overhauling Australia's 338 all out for a five-wicket win at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Thursday. This is now the highest successful run chase in ODI World Cup history, men's or women's.

Promoted to No. 3, Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the innings with an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls, a performance being hailed as one of the finest in a World Cup knockout match. The 25-year-old also stitched a 167-run stand with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to decisively turn the tide against the record seven-time champions.

India reached the target with nine balls to spare. With this victory, the 'Women in Blue' have confirmed a third appearance in a Women's ODI World Cup final, having previously reached the summit clash in 2005 and 2017, losing to Australia and England, respectively.

Here's a look at the other talked-about topics and trends following the IND-W vs AUS-W semi-final match:

Also Read - India Vs Australia Semi-Final Best Photos

Youngest And Fastest

Phoebe Litchfield scored 119 for Australia and marked the fastest century (in 77 balls) in a Women's World Cup semi-final. On a day the seven-time champions failed to wrest the initiative in key moments, her batting performance stood out. At 22 years and 195 days, she is also the youngest to score a ton in a World Cup knock-out game.

The Indian batting line-up received praise for its calmness, particularly after early setbacks in the chase. India lost returning Shafali Verma, in for injured opener Pratika Rawal, in the second over, then in-form Smriti Mandhana in the 10th.

That 400 Question, And Dropped Catches

India's use of spin in the middle overs, especially Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma, played a crucial role in slowing down Australia's momentum. That said, Deepti's 2/73 in the match are the most expensive figures in a knockout match, surpassing Sophie Ecclestone's 1/71 in the 2022 final.

At one stage, when Australia had Litchfield in the middle, a 400 total looked a distinct possibility, but regular wickets pulled things back. India's fightback with the ball was a turning point in the match.

Meanwhile, fielding errors, including a dropped catch of Alyssa Healy by Harmanpreet Kaur early in the match, dominated online discussions. India have dropped more than 15 catches in eight matches in this edition.

For Australia, the semi-final witnessed a few costly dropped catches, including those off Rodrigues by Healy and Tahlia McGrath.

India Vs Australia Reactions

The win has triggered a wave of celebration in India, with fans, pundits, and former players lauding Rodrigues and the team's performance. No doubt, this win is being seen as a landmark moment for women's cricket in India.

Not to forget, India endured successive defeats against the three other semi-finalists — South Africa, Australia, and England — in the group stage. A win against New Zealand at the same venue confirmed a top-four finish.

Looking Ahead To The Final

India now face South Africa in the final, after the Proteas secured a dominant 125-run win over England in the other semi-final. Sunday's title showdown will mark a final without Australia or England for the first time in the tournament's history.

The India vs South Africa final is already generating significant interest, with both sides stacked with match-winners.

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt tops the tournament run charts with 470 runs, closely followed by India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (389). Among the bowlers, Indian off-spinner Deepti Sharma shares the top spot for most wickets (17) with Australia's Annabel Sutherland, while Marizanne Kapp leads the wicket tally for the Proteas.