They didn’t acknowledge that SA also had match-winners: Anjum Chopra Analyzes India’s Women’s World Cup Loss

October 10, 2025

Visakhapatnam: Former India captain and cricket pundit Anjum Chopra dissected India’s first defeat of the Women’s World Cup at the hands of South Africa, highlighting the team’s inability to fully account for the opposition’s match-winners.

Chopra praised South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk for her composed performance under pressure.

Coming in at number eight, de Klerk’s unbeaten 84 helped the Proteas snatch a thrilling victory, while India’s middle order, led by Richa Ghosh, showed resilience but ultimately fell short.

“Nadine de Klerk played true to her strengths. She’s one of those underrated performers in South African and world cricket… Her knock will make people take notice. Coming in at number eight and knowing exactly how to finish games,” Chopra said on JioHotstar.

India’s Middle-Order Effort

Chopra highlighted India’s positives, including the middle and lower-order contributions from Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana. She noted the team’s intent and composure while bowling but added that the intensity waned, with players failing to fully recognise South Africa’s depth in batting.

“For India, the positive takeaway was the effort from Richa Ghosh and the middle order… They showed intent and composure, making it clear that the middle and lower orders are willing to take responsibility,” Chopra remarked.

Bowling Concerns and the Sixth-Bowler Issue

India’s bowling unit applied early pressure, but a lack of a sixth full-time bowler became evident. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur had to bowl four overs herself, which raised questions about the team’s bowling depth.

“You have to get a sixth bowler; it’s absolutely essential… Even with a deep batting order, when someone like Richa Ghosh is batting at number eight, it’s clear that several batters aren’t delivering consistently. It’s time to strengthen at least one department decisively,” Chopra added.

Adapting to Pressure in Upcoming Matches

Chopra stressed the need for India to adapt to challenging conditions in upcoming venues like Vizag, Indore, and Mumbai, and to make strategic decisions on bowling combinations to counter opposition strengths.

“The tall batting order we often talk about… now has to prove itself under pressure, just like South Africa did with Laura Wolvaardt, Chloe Tryon, and Nadine de Klerk leading the way,” she said.