In the 2025 Women’s Cricket Cup, India’s lower-middle order has been crucial in the last three matches, stepping up when the top and middle order struggled to gain momentum.
In the first match against Sri Lanka, India got off to a rocky start, with Pratika Rawal scoring 37 off 59 and Smriti Mandhana adding 8 off 10. Harleen Deol stabilized the innings with a solid 48 off 64 with strike rate of 75, while Harmanpreet Kaur contributed 21 of 19. Unfortunately, Jemimah Rodrigues was out for a duck, and Richa Ghosh managed just 2 runs, leaving India in a precarious position at 124 for 6.
That was when the lower-middle order made a significant impact. Amanjot Kaur scored a determined 57 off 56 balls, hitting five fours and a six to keep the runs coming. Deepti Sharma also played a key role with 53 runs from 53 balls, mixing aggression with careful pacing. Their partnership (7th wicket partnership) of 103 runs shifted the momentum against Sri Lanka. Sneh Rana then added a brisk 28* runs off 15 balls with strike rate of 186.66, hitting 2 boundaries and 2 maximums to finish the innings strongly. India recovered to post a challenging 269, eventually going on to win by 59-runs.
The second match against Pakistan followed a similar trend. The top order showed some promise with Pratika scoring 31 off 37 and Smriti adding 23 off 32. Harleen Deol contributed 46 off 65, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur contributed 19 off 34 and Jemimah scored 32 off 37, leaving India at 159 for 5. However, the innings lacked consistent flow.
Once again, the lower-middle order held the innings together, with Deepti Sharma scoring 25 runs off 33 balls, combining steady strike rotation with timely boundaries. Richa Ghosh made an impactful 35 runs off just 20 balls, while Sneh Rana played a steady innings of 20 runs off 33 balls, supporting the team during critical moments. Together, their efforts kept India competitive. India eventually finished with a total of 247 and sealed the win by 88 runs.
In the third match against South Africa, the top order struggled again, despite Pratika’s 37 and Smriti’s 23. Other early batters faltered, with Harleen scoring 13 off 23 balls, Jemimah dismissed for a duck and Deepti managing only 4 runs, leaving India at 102 for 6.
Yet again, the lower-middle order worked hard to stabilize the innings, bail India out of trouble. Richa scored 94 runs of 77 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes with strike rate of 122.07. The 7th wicket partnership of Richa Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur of 51 runs and 8th wicket partnership of Sneh Rana and Richa Ghosh of 88 runs gave India the stability and led to a total of 251. While India managed to win the previous two, it wasn’t to be this time.
The partnerships formed by the lower players have often been the key to turning precarious situations into respectable totals. Their contributions have not only stabilized the innings under pressure but also influenced momentum shifts that have kept India’s World Cup hopes alive. The combination of these players in the middle and lower order represents a tactical advantage for India, highlighting the importance of depth and resilience in modern women’s ODI cricket.
The resilience of India’s lower order has been a defining factor in their campaign so far, transforming potential collapses into competitive totals and altering the momentum of matches. This group has demonstrated not only technical skill but also tactical acumen effectively rotating the strike, building crucial partnerships, and switching gears seamlessly from consolidation to aggression when needed.
Their ability to withstand pressure and adapt their game plan according to match situations has added a vital layer of depth and balance to India’s batting lineup. As the tournament progresses, maintaining this lower-order composure and versatility will be key for India to overcome challenging scenarios and sustain their World Cup aspirations.
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