English Sports

England Triumphs: Heather Knight Shines in Close Match

admin_onnlinetv October 20, 2025

Indore/Patiala, 20 October (Sports Desk)

Tournament: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
Venue: Indore (Holkar Stadium), India
Date: 19 October 2025
Result: England Women won by 4 runs.
Player of the Match: Heather Knight (scored 109 in her 300th international match)

England posted 288/8 in 50 overs.
Heather Knight anchored the innings, scoring 109 off 91 balls with 14 fours and one six.
Other notable contributions:
- Amy Jones scored 56.
- Nat Sciver‑Brunt added 38.
Bowling for India:
- Deepti Sharma took 4/51, her best figures of the tournament to that point.

India responded with 284/6 in 50 overs.
Key batters:
- Smriti Mandhana scored 88.
- Harmanpreet Kaur scored 70.
- Deepti Sharma also contributed with 50.
In the death overs England’s bowlers held their nerve:
- Linsey Smith bowled a critical 48th over conceding just 4 runs; dismissed Mandhana at a key moment.
- The final over required India to score 14 but they fell short, finishing 4 runs behind.

England’s decision to bat first paid off: Heather Knight’s century provided a strong platform.
India looked well in control at 234/3 in the 42nd over, thanks to major partnerships (Mandhana-Kaur).
But the wicket of Mandhana by Smith triggered a momentum shift: Indian chase started to falter.
England’s fielding and bowling in the final 8 overs were excellent — India scored only ~50 runs in those overs, losing three wickets.
Run-out of Knight in England’s innings showed some vulnerability, but the big score had already been set.

The win sealed England’s place in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup.
For India, this ended in heartbreak: third straight loss in the tournament, jeopardising their semi-final hopes.
Heather Knight’s innings underlined her leadership and class — her 300th international match, and what a way to mark it.