Trisha Ghosal in Indore
The weather in Indore may be calm and forgiving, but the atmosphere at the Holkar Stadium on the eve of the India–England clash is anything but. For India, this is a must-win contest to keep their World Cup hopes alive. For England, victory will mean sealing a semi-final spot alongside Australia and South Africa.
India come into this fixture after two consecutive losses, and while that might weigh on the points table, it hasn’t dented their spirit. “The best thing is that we got this break,” said Deepti Sharma in the pre-match press conference yesterday, reflecting on the team’s preparation. “Whether it is a left-arm spinner or an off-spinner, we have done as much as we could as a bowling unit and as a team. We have worked a lot on those things.”
India’s bowlers, particularly Deepti herself, have been consistent – she has picked up at least one wicket in each of her last six bowling innings. Young pacer Kranti Gaud’s rise has also caught attention. England coach Charlotte Edwards in the pre-match PC yesterday, who has seen her journey up close, said, “I met Kranti when I was at Mumbai and she was a net bowler two years ago. To see her rise now to playing for India and performing the way she does… she’ll be someone to watch out for tomorrow.”
England, unbeaten so far, have their own concerns. Tammy Beaumont’s form has dipped at the top of the order – no 50-plus score in her last seven ODI innings – and their middle order has shown vulnerability. Their reliance on Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt has been evident, and India will look to capitalise on that. Still, Edwards remains confident. “We’ve got lots of experience playing against India,” she said. “It’s a one-off game now, in India, in the World Cup, a massive game tomorrow.”
For India, the opening partnership of Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal remains key. Their aggressive approach has set strong foundations, complemented by India’s remarkable slog-overs strike-rate of 140, the best among all teams in this World Cup.
Despite losing two matches, Deepti insisted the dressing room remains upbeat. “Our morale is very good. Everyone is playing their own role. We have planned a lot. Let’s see how we do well tomorrow.”
With England’s composure meeting India’s desperation, Indore is set for a contest that promises calm weather but stormy cricketing drama.
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