India’s women’s team is gearing up for a crucial stage in the 2025 ODI World Cup, with a showdown against England set to take place at Indore’s Holkar Stadium on Sunday.
The Indian squad has been busy refining strategy during a week‑long break, and all‑rounder Deepti Sharma said the plans created will keep India in the hunt for a semi‑final spot. “We had a good pause and used the time to bond and practice,” she told reporters in a pre‑match press conference. “Now we know what to do next and are ready to put that into action.”
India sits fourth on the points table after four matches and must win all three remaining games to stay in the top four. The team identified a weakness in its batting lineup: a high percentage of dot balls and cautious play against left‑arm spinners. In calendar years, Pakistan’s Inoka Ranaweera, Nigeria’s Sadia Iqbal, and South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba have exposed this vulnerability. Deepti said the team has been rehearsing against spin, both from off‑spinners and left‑arm bowlers, to overcome that challenge.
When India faced England in the July ODI series, the Indians won 2‑1. That series gave the squad positive takeaways. “We had a solid performance back then, and it shows we can play well whatever the situation,” Sharma added. She also highlighted her familiarity with England’s lineup, having played several matches against them in the Women’s Premier League with the UP Warriors, sharing the dressing room with Sophie Ecclestone, Danni Wyatt‑Hodge, and Lauren Bell.
“Knowing how English bowlers set up the attack helps us stay calm and enjoy the game,” she said. “We just keep the plan simple and look to improve as a team.”
On the Indian side, captain Harmanpreet Kaur remains a key hitter, even though she has scored only 71 runs in the World Cup so far. Deepti praised her ability to change games with “flashy” batting and felt confident that Kaur could turn the match in India’s favour. “I have no doubt about her. She delivered a century in the last match of our series in England,” Sharma said.
The Holkar Stadium will host India’s only World Cup fixture at this venue. Cricket fans expect a full house after Australia dominated New Zealand by 89 runs in the opening match. After observing how the pitch behaved in the first two overs of that game, Sharma said the team has adapted its tactics accordingly. “We saw that the wicket changes after the first few overs, so we planned for that,” she told reporters. “We’re positive about backing each other and winning tomorrow’s match.”
As for the bowling lineup, Sharma didn’t disclose the exact six options that the coaching staff will use against England. She emphasized that whatever the plan is, the team will execute it: “We’ll do what we’ve practiced and trust the management to decide on the final mix.”
The World Cup clash is set to be a crowd‑pleaser, with Indian supporters eager to see their team take on England in front of a packed Holkar Stadium. The match could set the tone for India’s next moves toward a semi‑final berth in the tournament.
Source: ianslive
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