India's women's cricket team is set to face Bangladesh in their final league match of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 on October 26th at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. With a semi-final berth already secured, India will aim to fine-tune their playing eleven and address any remaining flaws before the knockout stage.
Having already secured a spot in the semi-finals, India will be looking to end their group-stage campaign on a high note. India Women are coming off a confidence-boosting 53-run victory over New Zealand. After a shaky start to the tournament, India bounced back in style against New Zealand, and will aim to carry that momentum forward.
India's journey in the tournament has been a mix of highs and lows. They started strongly with wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but then faced three consecutive losses against South Africa, Australia and England. Their recent victory against New Zealand, thanks to centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, secured their place in the semi-finals.
The upcoming match against Bangladesh provides an opportunity to experiment with combinations and perfect their template. Several adjustments against New Zealand appeared to pay off, including reverting to a five-bowler setup. India may also consider testing themselves in a chase if they win the toss, as they have batted first in five out of six matches so far.
Key players to watch for India include Smriti Mandhana, who is the tournament's leading run-scorer with 331 runs. Pratika Rawal, who scored a match-winning century against New Zealand, will also be crucial at the top of the order. Deepti Sharma remains India's all-round pillar, providing control with the ball and consistency with the bat.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have struggled throughout the tournament, managing just one win in six games. They will be looking to end their World Cup campaign on a positive note. Bangladesh's key players include Sharmin Akhter, who is their top run-scorer with 176 runs, and Rabeya Khan, who is their most successful bowler with 7 wickets. Nigar Sultana's leadership will also be crucial for Bangladesh.
In terms of head-to-head record, India have a dominant record against Bangladesh in WODIs, with six wins in eight matches. Bangladesh have prevailed just once, and one match ended in a tie. In their only previous WODI World Cup encounter, India emerged victorious.
The match is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM IST. The weather forecast for Navi Mumbai indicates a high chance of rain. The pitch at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy is generally conducive to high-scoring contests, with good bounce and pace. Fast bowlers can expect some movement early on, while spinners are likely to come into play during the middle and later stages.
Predicted playing XIs:
- India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur.
- Bangladesh: Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Nishita Akter Nishi, Marufa Akter.
India is the clear favourite to win the match, given their superior form and experience. However, Bangladesh will be looking to cause an upset and end their World Cup campaign on a high.
