India's record-breaking chase stuns Australia, bringing back the 2025 World Cup semi-final blockbuster.

The Australian women’s cricket group, undefeated on the tournament and hot favourites to once more carry the Women’s Cricket World Cup, fumbled the semi-final in Navi Mumbai and coughed up the threat to protect their identify.

Known as the mentality monsters for their unequalled ability to combat returned from the maximum dire of situations, Australia didn't shield their general of 338. In a contrasting display, their combatants – co-hosts India – shed their own tendency to buckle under stress in knockout games and held their nerve to overtake the file for the very best a success run chase in girls’s ODIs.

While it turned into a history-shaping moment for India, Australia ended their night time without the possibility to feature every other trophy to their cupboard. The protecting champions have now let slip each in their World Cup crowns – T20 and ODI – within twelve months.

Australia have been on pinnacle at the quit of India’s powerplay after disregarding both openers, the harmful Shafali Verma and run-device Smriti Mandhana, specifically given the India middle-order’s sketchy file. But what accompanied changed into a overall performance that captain Alyssa Healy might later describe as “un-Australian”.

Catches were dropped, the fielding blew hot and cold with a few great saves interspersed with the aid of slip-u.S.And huge throws, and there were too many unfastened deliveries. Healy dug deep into her wealth of bowling resources. But for what felt like an eternity, none located a solution to break the partnership between Jemimah Rodrigues and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, which might ultimately upload 167 runs and end up the backbone of the a success chase.

When the probabilities were created, they have been no longer customary within the field. Rodrigues turned into dropped 3 times on her manner to a suit-winning century – which includes with the aid of Healy and her deputy, Tahlia McGrath. What added approximately the uncharacteristic display inside the high-stakes suit? Healy couldn’t put a finger on a motive inside the put up-in shape press conference.

To point to a second within the 2d innings as the one where the balance shifted away from Australia will doubtlessly be a meritless challenge. Despite the early wickets, Rodrigues and Harman saved the rate underneath test, finding a boundary almost every over. And as the night improved, scoring best became easier, with the bowlers struggling to grip the ball that changed into being effortlessly pushed to the wet outfield by way of the set batters.

Australia had set themselves a strenuous check by way of selecting to bat on the toss. The three finished ODIs at the DY Patil Stadium – all played in the course of this tournament – had been won by way of the facet batting first. But they have been distinctive groups, and it’s a small sample length as compared to 8 T20Is on the venue, six of which went the chasing aspect’s way.

Faced with dew, passing drizzle and a sturdy opposition with vocal home support as they fought to keep their name-defence hopes alive, the Australians had one major flaw augmented with the aid of the situations. The aspect has been guilty of leaking extras over this World Cup cycle. The wet ball handiest made it extra difficult for the bowlers to preserve their lines and lengths, as they gave away 26 extras.

But it will be unfair to pin the blame on the bowlers alone. As Healy stated after the game, the batting unit had fallen short of maximising their output no matter putting a file run chase in front of India. Once Phoebe Litchfield’s captivating knock got here to an end on 119, the scoring bogged down, forcing a chaotic again-stop laced with run-outs and successive wickets.

Despite the hunt for again-to-again World Cup titles coming to an cease a step brief of the very last, not many will argue that Australia had been now not the maximum nicely-rounded and steady unit within the match.

The month within the subcontinent has been a exhibit of the fearsome batting intensity they've evolved. Performances came from throughout the board with four centurians – Healy and Ash Gardner getting two every – and Annabel Sutherland recording an unbeaten 98 of the very best quality.

Sutherland was even more outstanding with the ball. The younger all-rounder unleashed the versions she were operating on to first-rate impact and stayed in the race to complete as the main wicket-taker. Leg-spinner Alana King changed into similarly dominant, her miserly spells in the end building up to a destructive 7-18 in opposition to eventual finalists South Africa.

Coach Shelly Nietschke’s facet will recognise, as will the sector, that the empty spots within the trophy cabinet aren't a mirrored image of Australia’s stature in women’s cricket. Any major overhauls to their gambling philosophy are unlikely to unfold, and the panic button received’t be hit because the team prepares for a destiny with out a number of its lengthy-serving individuals, such as Healy and leading quick Megan Schutt.

Australia won’t play some other international fixture till mid-February, leaving them with an unusual gap in the center of the house summer time to reset and turn their awareness to the subsequent cycle and the possibility to win returned their T20 world name in July.

The outcome of this World Cup is simply that for the Australian team – a depressing little length inside the center of summer. It is never an limitless iciness.