India opener Smriti Mandhana has extended her lead at the top of the ICC ODI ranking for women batters following her fine run at the ongoing Women's Cricket World Cup.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hoped that injured Pratika Rawal will be fit for the semifinal against Australia after the opener twisted her ankle while fielding and hobbled off the ground during the abandoned match against Bangladesh in the Women's World Cup, in Navi Mumbai, on Sunday.
India have a mounting worry in the lack of runs so far from talismanic Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the energetic Jemimah Rodrigues.
Agra welcomes home hero Deepti Sharma with 10km roaring roadshow
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Thursday retained as India captain for the three Women's ODIs against New Zealand while the selectors also picked four uncapped players for the series starting October 24.
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If the men of 1983 gave India a reason to dream, the women of 2025 could give it something rarer -- the courage to live that dream in full daylight, under an open sky that finally belongs to them, points out Prem Panicker.
Harmanpreet was left speechless with the reception given to the players, saying the team gets the same affection every time it comes to Odisha.
Indian top-order's strike-rate not a concern but big scores are expected in next matches: Muzumdar
'Her outstanding performance in the World Cup has definitely added to her brand value significantly. The high WPL bids validate it more.'
'The Women in Blue's final act drew a peak concurrency of 21 million viewers as Harmanpreet Kaur's team became the first Asian team to lift the Women's World Cup.'
#WeTheWomen returned to Mumbai for its eighth edition.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia believes a first Women's World Cup win for India would be a seminal moment, much like Kapil Dev's team in 1983.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Even as Australia pressed hard to regain control with key breakthroughs, Jemimah's focus never wavered. Her shot selection was immaculate and temperament unflappable.
'But looking at our current performance, I'm confident that a medal in the World Cup is not far off.'
In a first for the tournament, the WPL final will not be played over the weekend, but on Thursday, February, probably to avoid a clash with the men's T20 World Cup, which begins the same week in India and Sri Lanka.
The lack of runs from captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill remains a talking point.
In the spin department, while seasoned campaigner Deepti Sharma is an automatic choice, it remains to be seen whether India go with both Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana or opt for either one of them.
India will have a final opportunity to check their game in pressure situation when they face Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai on Sunday in what would be a dress rehearsal ahead of the marquee Women's World Cup semifinals against Australia next Wednesday.
She was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for her consistent all-round display throughout the showpiece event.
Skipper Harmanpreet fired a hat-trick but India were far from impressive in their narrow 4-3 win over lower-ranked China in their Asia Cup opener, in Rajgir, Bihar, on Friday.
The Indian women's cricket team was fined 10 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against Australia in the third ODI.
All eyes are now on November 25, when all the specs, varians and pricing will be made known.
India's record-breaking chase against Australia in the Women's ODI World Cup semifinal sent a wave of pride and emotion through the country's sporting fraternity.
Indian men's hockey Olympic medal winning captain Harmanpreet Singh's services were secured by Soorma Hockey Club for the upcoming season of the Hockey India League (HIL) for a massive Rs 78 lakh, becoming the most expensive player in the league.
India won their maiden Women's World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
'...I think they deserve the trophy the way they played the semi-final game'
After an impressive debut season where Soorma finished third, the club has chosen to keep its core intact, retaining the players who formed its backbone
Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian captain, unleashed a devastating performance against Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup in Dubai on Wednesday.
England edged India by just four runs in a nerve-wracking finish to storm into the Women's World Cup semi-finals on Sunday night in Indore.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a late equaliser to salvage a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Argentina.
After being outplayed in the opener, Harmanpreet Kaur and her team roared back with a stunning 102-run victory, which was Australia's heaviest defeat in terms of runs. It was also India's first win over them in 12 matches.
'I think we have got a very settled batting lineup. Would not like to shuffle it around too much but when the need arises, you know we are flexible about it.'
Smriti Mandhana's second-fastest hundred in women's ODIs went in vain as India's quest for a world-record chase in the series-deciding third game against Australia ended in a 43-run defeat, in New Delhi on Saturday.
India bounced back from three successive defeats after starting the Women's World Cup as one of the favourites.
Morale in Indian camp is high, one-week break has been good for us, says Deepti
Harmanpreet Kaur and her team's maiden World Cup title is not just a turning point for cricket in the country but a watershed moment for Indian sports, feels women's head coach Amol Muzumdar.
