Updated On: 20 October, 2025 08:43 AM IST | Indore | Santosh Suri
Hosts suffer third straight defeat, this time a painful four-run loss to England despite half-centuries from opener Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma

England’s Sophie Ecclestone (left) celebrates the wicket of Deepti Sharma on Sunday. Pic/Getty Images
Not for the first time in the Women’s World Cup, India allowed a match to slip from their grasp, this time chasing a target.
Chasing 289, they had things under control until Smriti Mandhana played her first aerial shot and lost her wicket when she was batting confidently and was well in sight of her hundred. Had she hung on till the end, there is no doubt the hosts would have sealed a much-needed win. In the end, buckling under pressure, India lost wickets in succession and with it the match by four runs, falling to their third successive defeat.