The Indian women’s cricket team visited Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple on October 15, 2025, to seek blessings after suffering back-to-back defeats to South Africa and Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
The players attended the early-morning Bhasma Aarti and offered prayers in the Nandi Hall, hoping to turn their campaign around ahead of a crucial clash against England in Indore on October 19.
India’s Campaign So Far
India began their World Cup journey with convincing wins against Sri Lanka in Guwahati and Pakistan in Colombo. However, two narrow three-wicket losses to South Africa and Australia have slowed their momentum.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India currently sits third on the points table with four points from four matches and a net run rate of 0.682. The team still has three league matches remaining to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
What India Needs to Qualify
India’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals remain in their own hands:
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Winning all three remaining games would take them to 10 points, ensuring qualification.
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Winning two out of three could still be enough, depending on net run rate.
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Losing two matches would likely end their semifinal chances.
Upcoming Matches
India will next face:
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England in Indore on October 19
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New Zealand on October 23
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Bangladesh on October 26 at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai
Team management is considering adding a sixth bowling option after opponents exploited India’s five-bowler strategy in recent games.
Coach Muzumdar on Batting Strategy
Head coach Amol Muzumdar said the team has a settled batting order but flexibility remains in the lower middle order.
“We have a very balanced lineup and wouldn’t like to shuffle too much. But players like Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma give us flexibility — Richa can accelerate, while Deepti can rotate strike and anchor the innings,” Muzumdar said.
Smriti Mandhana’s 80 off 66 balls against Australia was a positive sign, and India hopes for similar performances in the upcoming fixtures.
Focus on Net Run Rate
India will also keep an eye on net run rate in the final league match against Bangladesh, which could be crucial for semifinal qualification. The team is determined to avoid a repeat of 2022, when a last-minute loss to South Africa ended their campaign and Mithali Raj’s international career.
