Women’s World Cup 2025 results: England reach the semi-finals with a thrilling win over India

England booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup with a thrilling four-run win over co-hosts India in Indore.

A total of 289 to win, India were on 234-3 with opener Smriti Mandhana in good position at 88.

But the opener’s easy sending off, from Lynsey Smith in the 42nd minute, was the turning point as the co-hosts were completely eliminated from the winning position.

The run rate soared, and although a brave half-century by Deepti Sharma kept India’s hopes alive, the middle order crumbled under pressure and with 14 runs needed from the last over, Smith held her nerve as India finished on 284-6.

288-8 for England was set up by former captain Heather Knight’s brilliant 86-ball century, after they started cautiously, reaching 44-0 from the Powerplay but keeping wickets in hand decisively.

Tammy Beaumont was again scratchy for 22 off 43 balls, but Amy Jones found valuable form with 56 balls, before Knight and Nat Shaver-Brent set the platform with a fluent 113-ball stand.

Knight was the aggressor, hitting 15 fours and a six in her third one-day international century, and they put England in a great position at 211-3 with just over 11 balls remaining before Sciver-Brent slumped to 38 all out.

England looked to be a few runs short, as they were unable to capitalize on a partnership with another middle-order wobbler, losing three wickets for eight runs in the space of 12 balls.

Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb and Alice Kapsey all fell cheaply into the spin again, which looked like it might prove costly once Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur started trudging through the middle, putting together a similarly flawless 125-run partnership that had a raucous crowd roaring in every over.

Mandhana’s knock was impressive and she looked set to overtake Knight with a match-winning century, but her one lapse in concentration has cost India, who need to win their last two matches to confirm their place in the semi-finals, having suffered three successive defeats.