Whisper it, but this could be India's best chance of winning World Cup

This is the most settled Indian team to head into an ODI Women's World Cup. That was only highlighted when they ran Australia, the reigning world champions, close in the ODI series decider in Delhi on Saturday.

Pratika Rawal has added stability to the opening partnership, even if her scoring rate is under the spotlight. Harleen Deol has been given a long-enough run at No. 3 with Jemimah Rodrigues settling in a now-familiar spot at No. 5.

Their talisman and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is among the runs and captain Harmanpreet Kaur is in good form, too. The bowling group of Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud have got games together under their belt.

One of their concerns, apart from blowing hot and cold with their fielding and catching, would be how Amanjot Kaur returns from injury. She was sidelined during India's successful tour to England in July and missed the three-ODI series against Australia at home. Her seam-bowling ability, combined with her batting, fit just right for India, especially in situations like the third match against Australia.

Renuka Singh Thakur's showing through the series after returning from a stress injury will help India breathe easy. She highlighted her importance to the bowling attack, especially with the new ball.

Whisper it, but this could be India's best chance of winning their first senior women's World Cup.

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh, Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Uma Chetry

Numbers alone can make a case for Smriti Mandhana being one of the key players for India at the World Cup: 2100 runs with eight centuries at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 99.15 since the 2022 edition. No other batter has more than 1800 in this period. Statistics aside, Mandhana has effortlessly slid into the role of the aggressor in her opening pairing with Rawal, with Shafali Verma not part of the ODI setup. The clarity in her shot selection has helped in this regard and twin hundreds in the last series before the World Cup only show her hunger.

At least runners-up. - S Sudarshanan

New coach, new captain, this tournament poses the first big-stage test of England since the dire T20 World Cup and Ashes campaigns that prompted these changes. That said, there have only been a couple of tweaks to the make-up of the squad, making it incumbent on head coach Charlotte Edwards and skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt to extract the best from the enviable talent at their disposal and succeed where no one has since their 2017 triumph.

Eight of the XI who finished runners-up to Australia in 2022 remain, while continued investment and growth in the women's game in England has increased their depth since. But it's early days yet - the new regime only began in April - and a clean sweep of both home white-ball series with West Indies, who failed to qualify for this World Cup, was tempered by series defeats to India in both formats.

The success of a reprised opening partnership between Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones against West Indies was more measured against India and England have recalled the vastly experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge to bolster the middle order. After those series, Edwards said "getting to the final would be a real success for us" and, at this stage, that rings true.

Seamer Lauren Bell was the leading wicket-taker in the women's Hundred and spearheads a seam attack without the retired Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole and the overlooked Kate Cross. England will rely on a four-pronged spin department of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith and Sarah Glenn.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Nat Sciver-Brunt has been England's spiritual leader at the World Cup, scoring two centuries in 2017 followed by a fifty in the final and twin unbeaten hundreds in losing causes against Australia, including the title decider, in 2022. Now she is their official leader too, captaining the side for the first time at a global tournament. Against India, during their recent ODI series, she was the leading run-scorer with 160, averaging 53.33. She bowled for the first time in six months during a warm-up with New Zealand just ten days out from the start of the event, putting her return as an allrounder on track, albeit on a tight schedule.

Semi-final. Having had just 14 matches - only six of them ODIs - under the new leadership, reaching the knockouts would be a big achievement at this stage. - Valkerie Baynes

The curse has been broken. South Africa earned a world title when their men's team lifted the World Test Championship (WTC) mace in June and so, finally, they will enter a tournament without the pressure of ending a drought. Now, they can just play.

South Africa go into the tournament after a period of inconsistent form over the last year, in which time they have also been under a new coach, but are quietly confident of what they've built. This will be Mandla Mashimbyi's first major event as he hopes to make his mark at the highest level. The bulk of his squad are experienced at global competitions and were at the core of South Africa's success in reaching the final of the last two T20 World Cups.

In Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa have a captain who leads by example and holds the batting line-up together. They are stacked with allrounders in Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk and have several spin options led by left-armer Nonkululekho Mlaba. What's missing is a pace bowler in the mould of Shabim Ismail, who was at the last ODI World Cup. In her absence, South Africa will rely on the swing of Kapp and the accuracy of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas. Even though Tumi Sekhukhune offers some pace, they may find themselves lacking a genuine strike bowler.

Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Chloé Tryon

As big scores and power-hitting become commonplace in the women's game, Tazmin Brits could take centre stage with her brand of aggressive batting. Brits is in the form of her life and has scored four of her six ODI hundreds in 2025, including a career-best 171*. She's also done all that quickly and has maintained a strike rate of 94.14 this year. While she has always been strong on the drive, she has also developed strong sweeps and slog-sweeps and can prove difficult to stop in the powerplay. Her style perfectly complements her opening partner and captain Wolvaardt and the value she adds in the field means if she has a good World Cup, South Africa could too.

Semi-final. - Firdose Moonda

Bangladesh have plans to win at least two matches in the World Cup. But to do that, they have to rely on a number of training camps at home, rather than any international cricket for the five months leading up to the tournament. It is being recognised as a massive factor before Bangladesh embark on their second 50-over World Cup campaign.

Instead, Bangladesh played several matches against Bangladesh's Under-15s, though they didn't have a great time, winning just one game against the boys' side.

Bangladesh could take inspiration from their qualification tournament, where they made it through by 0.003, the squeakiest of margins. Sharmin Akhter and captain Nigar Sultana were the second and third-highest run-scorers in the qualifiers, while legspinner Rabeya Khan took eight wickets. They will, however, be without Jannatul Ferdus, the offspinner who was their highest wicket-taker in qualifying.

Nigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya Akter

Nigar Sultana's triple role of batter, wicketkeeper and captain does seem too much at times but she has performed admirably in all three capacities. Nigar will have to put on all three caps at the World Cup too, as she looks to bring out the best in a squad that hasn't seen top-class action in months. Articulate on and off the field, Nigar is an inspirational figure in Bangladesh and is regarded as one of the best captains in the country's history.

Eighth. Mohammad Isam