England bounced back to secure their place in the World Cup semi-finals, while India’s defeat jeopardizes their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Chasing a winning target of 289, India stumbled from a position of strength to fall short as they were restricted to 284-5 in their 50 overs.
India were on course for victory for much of their innings: Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 88, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur hit a run-a-ball 70.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt took 2-47 and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith bowled a tight spell of 1-40 in 10 overs, including the key wicket of Mandhana, to apply the brakes on the home team and help achieve a stunning victory.
It was India’s third consecutive defeat (after losses to Australia and South Africa) and shocked the home crowd at the Holkar Stadium.
This was after England opted to bat first and scored 288-8, with Heather Knight contributing 109 off 91 balls.
England joined defending champions Australia and South Africa in the semi-finals with a fourth win in five matches. The four-time champions will face Australia on Wednesday at the same venue.
India remain fourth with four points from five matches and need a big change of form against New Zealand on Thursday and Bangladesh on Sunday in the remaining two group matches.
“Smriti’s dismissal was the turning point,” Kaur said. “We had enough batting to finish the game, but I don’t know how things went the other way. You have to give credit to England: they kept playing well and getting wickets.”
Co-hosts Sri Lanka will take on Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
India is coming
The chase did not start in the best way. Pratika Rawal was trapped behind for six, while Charlie Dean trapped Harleen Deol leg before the wicket for 24.
Mandhana and Kaur then combined for 42-2, and the pair added 125 runs off 122 balls for the third wicket, with India seemingly cruising on a batting-friendly surface.
Kaur reached her half-century off 54 balls, while Mandhana was content to play an anchor role. He reached his second consecutive fifty off 60 balls.
Sciver-Brunt got the breakthrough to dismiss Kaur, but India remained favorites to win.
Deepti Sharma scored 50 off 57 and scored 67 off 66 with Mandhana.
India needed 62 off the last 60 deliveries but the momentum changed when Mandhana attempted a big shot off Smith in the 42nd minute and was caught at the boundary.
India fell from 234-3 to 262-6 in 33 deliveries with Sharma trapped by Sophie Ecclestone (1-58) in the 47th over.
England increased the pressure when Amanjot Kaur (18 not out) and Sneh Rana (10 not out) could not finish the chase.
Knight shines
Knight scored his third ODI hundred to lead England’s innings.
England got off to a good start with openers Tammy Beaumont (22) and Amy Jones making 73 runs. Jones scored 56 off 68 balls.
Off-spinner Sharma accounted for both openers before Knight took charge of the innings, including a 113-run third-wicket stand with Sciver-Brunt (38 off 49).
“I came in and stepped on the gas. I felt like we needed 300 on that pitch, but it was frustrating not to get there at the end,” Knight said. “I was desperate to put in a standout performance in my 300th (international) game and I’m delighted to do so.”
Knight reached his century off 86 balls, including 14 fours and a six. He was run out of wicket in the 45th over as England slipped towards the end, conceding five wickets for 31 runs in 5.1 overs.
Sharma returned figures of 4-51 in 10 overs and followed up with a half-century, but it was not enough on the day.