If catches win matches, then Workforce India isn’t successful Ladies’s World Cup 2025

Dropped catches seem to have become a norm in women’s cricket, and India’s catching in that doesn’t really come as a surprise. Despite being one of the best in the world, catching has remained an Achilles Heel for Harmanpreet Kaur‘s team. And the larger problem is, it is not just one player guilty of the drops, but the finest fielders too.

Five Drops in Women’s World Cup by Team India

In the ongoing World Cup 2025, the team has won both their encounters against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but five catches have been dropped by the Indian team so far. Luckily, neither of the oppositions was strong enough to hurt us after the misses. But the tournament only gets tougher from here, with Australia, South Africa, and England matches yet to come.

One must admit that the Indian team must be good enough to reach the semis, or even the final. But the World Cup Trophy could elude them come the summit clash. And that is what separates them from the best; Australia have a visibly stronger fielding unit, and their dropped catches are far less than India.

So far, AUS has dropped one catch, none by New Zealand, none by England, and one by South Africa.

Richa Ghosh’s Show Behind-the-Wickets Alarming

Tough chances, one can understand, are a 50-50, but then what really explains Richa Ghosh‘s shoddy work behind the wickets? She dropped za sitter in the match against Pakistan, and Sidra Amin got three lifelines, and went on to score 81. Richa was the culprit once in the Sri Lanka match too, while Kranti Gaud dropped the second one.

Just to understand the problem, it is important to look at the last few ODIs India played. In the ODI series vs AUS prior to the Women’s World Cup, India dropped 13 catches, while the Aussies dropped 7. In the first match, Jemimah Rodrigues dropped Phoebe Litchfield on 0, who went on to score 88. In the same match, Harman dropped Litchfield on 56. Deepti Sharma dropped Beth Mooney on 58.

In the second, which India won, Richa dropped G Voll on 0 and then Mooney on 0. She then dropped Ellyse Perry on 25, while Harleen missed a chance of Mooney on 9. Radha Yadav went on to drop Sutherland on 13, and Kranti Gaud dropped Gardener on 16. The third encounter saw Voll getting dropped three times.

Team India Capable of Doing Much Better

So, this just shows that the fielding unit has been under the pump for sure, especially keeper Richa. Not that this fielding unit is not capable, but somehow has been under the pump. And once you give 13 lifelines to a team like Australia, they will make you pay.

This very Indian team, in the last six months, has won a tri-series involving Sri Lanka & South Africa, beaten England at their home, and won one match against the Aussies. And there is no reason why they can’t do the unprecedented at the home World Cup, but for that, the catching has to be impeccable. Something which has remained a grey area for a long.

Just to reiterate, the Indian team is a mighty good team, and has everything in them to go the distance in the World Cup, but catching efficiency is something that needs to improve greatly, and the players need to take the onus.