Here is a list of records broken during the India vs Australia 2025 Women’s World Cup semi-final:
1. This was the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history, surpassing Australia’s chase of 331 against India in the league stage of the same tournament earlier this month.
2. This was also the first instance of a team chasing 300 or more in an ODI World Cup knockout — men’s or women’s.
3. The match aggregate of 679 runs between India and Australia is the highest in the history of the tournament. The previous record belonged to England and South Africa (678 runs, Bristol, 2017 World Cup).
4. Australia opener Phoebe Litchfield made history by becoming the youngest player to score a century in a Women’s World Cup knockout match.
Coming back to the match, seven-time champions Australia faltered in their title defence and suffered their first defeat in the ODI World Cup after 15 victories since 2017 when India beat them in the semi-final.
India looked in trouble at 59-2 in the 10th over, but Rodrigues and Kaur rode the storm and then took the attack to the opposition at a nearly-packed house that cheered every run.
A key moment in the game came when Rodrigues survived a dropped catch on 82 by skipper Alyssa Healy who failed to hold on to the ball with her wicketkeeping gloves off Alana King.
Annabel Sutherland broke through to get Kaur caught out for 89 with India needing another 113 for victory and an exhausted-looking captain trudged back.
An ice-cool Rodrigues, who was dropped again on 106 by Tahila McGrath, despite Deepti Sharma‘s run out on 24 and then Richa Ghosh dismissed for 26, kept anchor and saw the team through.
India lost Shafali Verma and then star batter Smriti Mandhana caught behind for 24, a decision reviewed by Healy and replays suggested the ball grazed the bat.
Mandhana looked disappointed and trudged back with a wry smile, but had the last laugh when the team won.
After Australia elected to bat in overcast conditions, Phoebe Litchfield smashed 119 off 93 balls to steer the team to the mammoth total.
Hosts India struck regular blows after a second-wicket partnership of 155 between Litchfield and Ellyse Perry, who made 77 after overturning an early lbw decision.
But Ashleigh Gardner ensured that Australia’s good start did not go to waste as she contributed a brisk 63 before the last three wickets fell in the final over.
Spinners Shree Charani and Deepti took two wickets each.
Both teams wore black armbands in support of promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who died Thursday after being struck with a ball while training in Melbourne.
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