India overturned a sequence of three straight losses to beat New Zealand in style to seal the fourth semi-final spot in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. The winner of Saturday’s game between South Africa and Australia will determine their last-four opponents.

Harmanpreet Kaur lost the toss, but India bettered their previous World Cup best of 330 – achieved earlier in the tournament against Australia in Visakhapatnam – courtesy centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, and an excellent unbeaten 76 from Jemimah Rodrigues, who returned to the XI, replacing allrounder Amanjot Kaur.

India’s 340 for 3 in 49 overs was then DLS-adjusted to a target of 325 in 44 overs for New Zealand, asking them to achieve the highest-ever chase in women’s ODIs, after over two hours were lost due to rain. While there were no weather interruptions for the rest of the evening, New Zealand’s timid approach left them too many to get (168) in the last 15 overs.

Brooke Halliday constructed an 81-ball 84, but New Zealand couldn’t flex their muscle at any point. This was partly down to losing wickets at regular intervals, and partly to India’s spinners making it difficult for their batters after Renuka Singh took the early wickets of Georgia Plimmer and Sophie Devine, both bowled off devious in-duckers.

Halliday put on 72 for the sixth wicket with Isabella Gaze, who brought up a career best, unbeaten 76, but they merely delayed the inevitable as New Zealand’s innings petered to a predictable close; they eventually finished at 271 for 8.

The good work by Renuka and Kranti Gaud in the first powerplay – they didn’t concede a single boundary in the first six overs of New Zealand’s chase – allowed India a little bit of leeway, considering they were playing with just five specialist bowlers. Rawal, who top-scored with 122, her second ODI century, played the role of sixth bowler, and even picked up a maiden World Cup wicket when she dismissed Maddy Green off a miscue.

But all that paled in comparison to what Rawal did with the bat. She and Mandhana overcame a slow start – India only scored 18 in their first six overs – to put together their seventh century stand, the joint-most by an Indian pair in Women’s ODIs. They shifted gears effortlessly to raise the century stand in 17.4 overs, with Mandhana and Rawal bringing up their half-centuries off 49 and 75 balls respectively.

Mandhana wasn’t up and running until the seventh over when she brought out the sweep at the first sight of spin, against Eden Carson. Seemingly keen on dominating the slow bowlers, she was quick to step out and deposit Carson over wide long-off in her second over.

Rawal was superb square of the wicket with the cut and pull, taking on Lea Tahuhu as the seamer began expensively after coming on after 10 overs. Rawal took her down for two statement fours — a short-arm jab over midwicket followed by a lofted straight hit that she enjoyed so much that she held the pose for the cameras.

Mandhana enjoyed a huge slice of luck on 77 when she reluctantly reviewed an lbw, only because Rawal had coaxed her into it. And when the giant screen replayed her missed slog, Mandhana began to walk off, only to see UltraEdge showing the tiniest of spikes as ball passed bat. She soon brought up her 14th ODI century, which put her just one short of Meg Lanning’s all-time record, off just 88 deliveries.

By then, Mandhana was tiring and cramping, and she was ready to throw her bat at everything. She nailed one such hit, a perfectly-timed slog for six off Amelia Kerr, and fell attempting a similar stroke when she was caught by substitute fielder Hannah Rowe at long-on off Suzie Bates, which ended the opening stand at 212.

Rawal brought up her second ODI century, off 122 balls, and was helped along in her quest to accelerate as Rodrigues picked her spots and executed her strokes with precision. Rawal followed suit by hitting her first six soon after raising her century, and was then put down on 108 by Maddy Green coming in from the long-off fence. Rawal eventually perished for 122 when she miscued Bates to Rowe once again at long-off.

Rodrigues then dominated her fourth-wicket stand with Harmanpreet, before rain forced the covers to come on at the 48-over mark. The match was initially reduced to 49 overs a side, endured another interruption after India ended their innings, cutting five more overs out of the chase.

Rodrigues was at her cheeky best. She swept, reverse-swept, opened up the off side to play pristine inside-out drives, and scythed full deliveries behind square when the bowlers went full. She exhibited her full range in an innings loaded with intent, hitting 11 fours in 55 balls.

On a day when most things went right for India, including the decision to play Rodrigues and give her the No. 3 spot, she may have yet given the team management some food for thought ahead of the semi-finals.

Brief scores:
India Women 340 for 3 in 49 overs  (Pratika Rawal 122, Smriti Mandhana 109, Jemimah Rodrigues 76*) beat New Zealand Women  271 for 8 in 44 overs  (Georgia Plimmer 30, Amelia Kerr 45, Brooke Halliday 81, Isabella  Gaze 65*;  Renuka Singh 2-25, Kranti Gaud 2-48) by 53 runs via DLS method

[Cricinfo]