'Fabulous, brilliant': Mandhana, Rawal slam tons as Indian batters breathe fire in must-win World Cup clash against NZ

Team India produced their most clinical batting performance so far in the ICC Women’s World Cup with centuries from openers Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana propelling the Women in Blue to a commanding 340/3 against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai.

Facing New Zealand in a must-win clash at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, India’s top three stood tall with Rawal and Mandhana scoring 122 and 109 respectively and Jemimah Rodrigues remaining unbeaten on 76 off 55 deliveries.

While Rawal and Mandhana’s mammoth 212-run opening stand laid the foundation for India’s mammoth total, it was Rodrigues’ attacking knock that ultimately ensured tournament co-hosts went past their previous highest score in the Women’s World Cup – 330 against Australia in Visakhapatnam earlier this month.

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Indian batters were yet to score a century in the ongoing tournament. On Thursday, they collected two – Mandhana bringing up the milestone for the 14th time in ODIs and Rawal for only the second time in Indian colours. For Rawal, who top-scored for the Indian team, it was the first time she went past the three-figure mark in her maiden World Cup appearance.

Here’s how former cricketers as well as Indian cricket fans celebrated the women’s team’s dominant batting performance on Thursday:

Fabulous knock from Pratika Rawal, hope we can cash in and close out well now.

Smriti brilliant as usual 👌👌 #WomensWorldCup2025

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) October 23, 2025

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Very impressed with Pratika Raval. Gets into good positions and as she plays more, I see her getting more aggressive because she clearly has all the shots she needs.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 23, 2025

What do you call a “tired” Smriti Mandhana who scores a hundred?

A centurion.

And a World Cup centurion, no less.#INDvNZ #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/MUhzuj8RfK

— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) October 23, 2025

Remember the unprompted and unnecessary abuse Pratika Rawal got? Today she scores a hundred against New Zealand. Well deserved!

— Gargi Raut (@gargiraut15) October 23, 2025

More than Smriti, I am happy for Pratika. I genuinely believe she can become a very good ODI cricketer. Her base is good, just needs to bisect the gaps a little more. It could be about just opening the bat face here or there.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) October 23, 2025

If cricket was an individual sport, Smriti Mandhana probably would have won all the majors numerous times so far.

"...when she’s on song, there is no spectacle quite as majestic as this in world cricket." 👑 pic.twitter.com/SDmqdf35IK

— R (@rashlynxx) October 23, 2025

No amount of praise is enough for Jemimah Rodrigues

What a comeback this from her batting in a position she has rarely batted in of late

Remarkable player#CWC25 #INDvNZ

— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) October 23, 2025

Mandhana and Rawal had also forged a massive partnership against defending champions Australia, scoring 80 and 75 respectively and adding 155 for the first wicket. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side, however, lost wickets in a heap towards the end of their innings, going from 294/4 in the 43rd over to getting bowled out for 330.

The tall score, however, wasn’t enough for India to walk away with a victory with the mighty Aussies chasing the target down with three overs and an over to spare.

India have lost each of their last three matches – suffering narrow losses against South Africa (3 wickets) and England (4 runs) as well, losing both games from a winning position.

They face T20 world champions New Zealand in a virtual quarter-final on Thursday, with the White Ferns having won just one game out of the five that they have played so far, losing two and as many ending in a washout.