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"Smriti's wicket was...": Harmanpreet Kaur blames batting fumble for 4-run loss to ENG

Akshita Patel

India captain reacts after narrow loss to England [Source: @BCCIWomen/X.com]India captain reacts after narrow loss to England [Source: @BCCIWomen/X.com]

India lost to England by 4 runs in a heartbreaking fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Interestingly, losing captain Harmanpreet Kaur blamed the batting lineup for not capitalising after steady starts. 

After heavy defeats against South Africa and Australia, India faced England in a must-win Women’s World Cup clash. 

Batting first, England put 288 runs on the board courtesy of Heather Knight’s sensational 109-run knock. However, in the chase, India failed to hold their nerves.

Harmanpreet Kaur heartbroken after India’s narrow defeat to England

Smriti Mandhana led the charge in the second innings, scoring 88 off 94 balls. She got support from Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma, who scored 70 and 50 runs, respectively.

However, the lower-order flattered completely. With 23 runs needed off the last 2 overs, India fell short by just 4 runs, leading to a heartbreaking loss.

In the post-match interview, captain Harmanpreet Kaur deemed Mandhana’s wicket as a turning point since the momentum shifted to England’s side.

She added that India had put in hours of hard work, but the last 5-6 overs didn’t go as planned, and it cost them the game.

"Smriti's wicket was the turning point for us. Still had batters, but I don't know how things went the other way. Credit to England. They didn't lose hope, they kept bowling and getting wickets. It's a bad feeling when you have put so much hard work in but the last 5-6 overs didn't go according to the plan. It's a heartbreaking moment," Kaur said.

While Kaur credited England for bowling well, she also claimed that India is still playing well and showing determination.

"We are playing good cricket, we are not giving up, but have to cross the line. It's been the last three games where we showed up with good cricket, but ended up on losing side. Next game is very important. Our bowlers did a really good job, because when Heather was batting they were looking very good. Did a lot right, but last five overs, we have to rethink. Next game [against New Zealand] is very important," she added.

Looking ahead, Harmanpreet Kaur stressed the importance of the next match against New Zealand, calling it a crucial opportunity for India to regain momentum in the tournament.

After this loss, the India Women have slipped to fourth spot in the points table with 4 points in 5 games. With only 1 spot left in the knockouts, India’s odds appear bleak right now.