INDW Vs RSAW: After A Flying Start, India Lose Quick Wickets In 'Do Or Die' World Cup Match

ICC Women's World Cup: India Women will have to win against South Africa to qualify for SF. If India loses, West Indies and England will surge ahead.

Image: AFP

INDW vs RSAW: Let us not mince our words here; if India Women win, they go through the semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup 2022 with England Women crashing out, but if India loses even by one wicket, then they will have to pack their bags and come back home before the semi-finals. 

The stakes have never been this high in any of the other WC matches so far. India and England are tied at points, but the English women are ahead on net run rate, thus maintaining fourth place in the table. Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the semis. 

Mithali Raj, India's captain won the toss and decided to bat first at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Shafali Verma's blistering start and Mandhana's supporting act meant that India was off to a flyer, but soon after touching the 15-over mark, India lost their first wicket in the form of Verma. 

Yastika Bhatia, too followed suit. India was in some trouble now after a fine start. Mithali Raj and Smriti Mandhana were at the crease in the 25th over as India's score touched 126/2. The job of these batters would be to maintain the run rate till the final 10 overs and then go for the big hits in the last few overs of the match.

This is the first time in 5 World Cups that Jhulan Goswami is missing out and it is due to a side strain. #TeamIndia | #CWC22 | #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/2DaWEBoF1o

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) March 27, 2022

India will have to play out of their skins to play out this game and enter the semi-finals. 

Qualification Scenario for India Women

India WIN - Qualify for Semi-final

India Lose - Out of World Cup

Rain - Qualify for Semi-final

The memories of the last women's World Cup final would be haunting these players when they came so close to winning it, but ended up on the losing side. This year, Mithali Raj's women had a decent tournament winning three matches out of six and coming close to defeating the mighty Australians. It would be a real shame if India fails to qualify for the semi-final of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh can be a spoilsport for England in a subsequent game happening at the Women's World Cup. Even for England women, it is a do-or-die game.