India players were sloppy on the field, giving away too many extra runs and also dropping some catches.
WPL 2026 auction to be held on November 27 in New Delhi
'Now, the girls studying in schools will also want to take up cricket as their career...'
Harmanpreet Kaur's side would become the fourth team to book the semifinal berth if they get the better of the White Ferns here on the familiar mat of the DY Patil Stadium.
The four dropped catches let Australia, who would be India's toughest opponents apart from England in the women's World Cup scheduled later this month, off the hook and they managed to finish the task of chasing 281 runs in double-quick time.
India's top order did not take responsibility to bat well against South Africa, captain Harmanpreet Kaur said after her side lost by three wickets.
Fast bowler Arundhati Reddy is likely to be fit for India's women's World Cup 2025 opener against Sri Lanka on September 30 after figuring in the second warm-up match against New Zealand and taking two wickets in nine overs on Saturday.
On paper, India are overwhelming favourites to win the series against Chamari Athapaththu-led visitors.
Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt led from the front with a sparkling hundred as England beat India by 153 runs in their warm-up game ahead of the ICC Women's World Cup, in Bengaluru, on Thursday.
Richa Ghosh (54) equalled the world record for the fastest fifty in women's T20Is (18 balls) after Smriti Mandhana's (77) fireworks as India registered 217 for 4 in the series-deciding third and final match against the West Indies here on Thursday.
'We are going to play in front of a huge crowd in India, and it's going to be a memorable campaign and we are ready for it.'
Formidable India will be eager to register a dominance-extending fourth victory on the bounce in the fourth women's T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Smriti Mandhana smashed a blistering 47-ball 81 to power reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a resounding eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals
Harmanpreet was quick to highlight fielding as the area that India needs to address quickly before facing South Africa and Australia on Thursday and Sunday, respectively.
IMAGES from the WPL match played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and UP Warriorz on Monday.
Richa was only dismissed twice in five innings and scored at a strike-rate exceeding 130.
Harmanpreet Kaur overtook legendary Australian batter Belinda Clark for most runs across all ICC Women's ODI World Cup knock-out matches during the title clash against South Africa, at Navi Mumbai's D Y Patil stadium, on Sunday.
Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma's superb all-round showing powered India to a historic first-ever Women's ODI World Cup title after they outclassed South Africa by 52 runs in the final.
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.
India made an imposing 183 for 5 riding on Ghosh's exploits with the bat and then restricted Bangladesh to 131 for 8.
3rd Women's T20I: India look to seal series with another dominant show against Sri Lanka
Richa Ghosh's career-best 96 and Deepti Sharma's 5/38 went in vain as Australia Women clinched a thrilling three-run win to take an unassailable 2-0 lead against India in their three-match ODI series in Mumbai on Saturday.
Jemimah stars in India's comprehensive eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka in first women's T20I
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led the way with a doughty 68 as a dominant India outclassed Sri Lanka by 15 runs in the fifth T20I to complete a 5-0 series sweep.
India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, with the final game scheduled to be played in Birmingham on Saturday.
Skipper Alyssa Healy led from the front with a masterful 142 as Australia pulled off a record chase of 331 to beat India by three wickets in their Women's World Cup group match on Sunday.
Deepti Sharma created a new record in women's cricket, while Shafali Verma smashed a blistering half-century as India thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets to seal the five-match T20I series 3-0.
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.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Mumbai Indians by three wickets in Women's Premier League match.
India women will be keen to internalise the conditions and character of venues in England ahead of next year's World Cup during the five-match T20I series against the hosts, beginning with the opening game on Saturday.
Jemimah Rodrigues struck a sensational century as hosts India reached the ICC Women's World Cup Final with a magical run-chase against Australia
'When I first entered the team, Mithali di (Mithali Raj) and Jhulan di (Jhulan Goswami) were our seniors, and to now see the transition with Harman di and Smriti leading together is really special. They've created an environment where everyone wants to give their all for the team.'
Shafali Verma scripted a new record to her name as the opener blasted the highest score by an Indian batter in the Women's World Cup final.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again threw her weight behind Sourav Ganguly, saying the former India captain should have been the International Cricket Council president by now and warned, in her trademark style that "it's not that easy to stop him."
Mandhana joined the Southern Brave, meanwhile, the Birmingham Phoenix roped in Richa for the forthcoming Women's Hundred 2024.
Images from the WPL match played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and UP Warriorz in Bengaluru on Monday.
Images from the WPL 2024 match between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.
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.
Deepti Sharma excelled with the ball before Richa Ghosh produced a fine knock as India cruised to a six-wicket victory over the West Indies in their Women's T20 World Cup Group 2 match in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Even as Australia pressed hard to regain control with key breakthroughs, Jemimah's focus never wavered. Her shot selection was immaculate and temperament unflappable.
