Smriti Mandhana was shocked when the large screen of the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai showed her that she had indeed snatched the ball down the on-side on the second semi-final of the Women World Cup 2025. On Thursday, October 30, Smriti was sent back 24 times in Navi Mumbai.
The dramatic moment occurred on the second ball of the tenth over in the run chase. Kim Garth bowled the delivery down the leg side. Alyssa Healy collected it neatly and promptly filed an appeal. The on-field call was for a wide. Despite this, Healy and Co. proceeded upstairs to protest the ruling.
The UltraEdge took a few moments to load as Smriti and Jemimah Rodrigues conversed mid-pitch, almost certain that it was a wide. However, the technology said differently. Mandhana was in complete shock and was filmed saying ‘bat nahi laga’ (there was no bat) to Jemimah before going back, confused by what had happened. The Australians, on the other hand, yelled with delight.
Smriti was Garth’s second wicket of the evening, following Shafali Verma (10 from 5). Shafali became caught in front after hitting a boundary on the previous ball of the over. From then on, it was all Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur until the 36th over, when Kaur holed out to Ashleigh Gardner at deep midwicket.
During the first innings, Australia was bowled out with 338 in 49.5 overs. Phoebe Litchfield scored a high of 119 out of 93 with 17 fours and 3 sixes. There were two half-centuries: Ellyse Perry (77 off 88) and Gardner (63 off 45). Shree Charani was the pick among the bowlers. The left-arm spinner finished with figures of 2/49 in ten overs.
