Big relief: Smriti Mandhana reacts after India qualify for Womens World Cup semifinals

New Delhi: Team India defeated New Zealand by 53 runs in a rain-affected match and qualified for the semifinals of the Women's ODI World Cup at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The Women in Blue will finish fourth in the league stage and will take on the first-placed team, which will be decided in two days, when Australia take on South Africa.

India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana described the victory as a big relief after the team made a comeback from three consecutive defeats. She smashed 109 runs off 95 balls, and notched up her fifth century of the calendar year, while opening partner Pratika Rawal scored a maiden World Cup hundred, amassing 122. They shared a record-breaking 212-run partnership for the first wicket, leading India to 340/3 in 49 overs.

The target was revised to 325 in 44 overs after another rain interruption, and New Zealand only managed to score 271/8. Mandhana was adjudged as the player of the match and said that Pratika deserved the award more than her.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, India's vice-captain said that it's a big relief for the team in terms of qualifying, and the last three matches were really tough.

"We thought we played some good cricket but just couldn't win, so this is really relieving," Mandhana said at the post-match presentation.

The Women in Blue defeated Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but lost against South Africa, Australia, and England. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur credited the entire team for the victory, and also praised Smriti and Pratika for their sensational innings.

"Whenever you are playing at home, everyone expects a lot from you. As a team, we discuss that this is our home, and the crowd is always cheering for us. This is a moment to enjoy rather than just putting pressure on ourselves," she added.

India will face Bangladesh in their last match of the league stage on October 26.