After a dismaying sequence of defeats mid-tournament, India hit top form to beat New Zealand on Thursday night at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium and secure a place in the semi-final of the ICC Women's ODI World Cup. In virtually a do-or-die match for both teams, India broke free of the mediocrity and apprehensions that had seen them lose three matches on the trot, raising several questions about the technical aspects and mental resolve under pressure of the players.

Thriving on a scintillating 212 runs opening partnership between vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and rising star Pratika Agarwal, supported by an ebullient unbeaten half century by Jemimah Rodrigues, India posted a record score of 340-3. New Zealand's target was revised to 325 by the Duckworth Lewis method after rain lopped off some playing time. But their top order could not find the momentum to take on this challenge in the face of some fine bowling, leaving too much for the middle and lower order batters to achieve.

In the event, India won by a comfortable margin of 53 runs in front of more than 25,166 spectators, the highest-ever group stage attendance at a women's ICC tournament. To be fair, fortune had dealt New Zealand a poor hand in the tournament. Two earlier matches were rained off, costing points and disrupting their rhythm. Against a resurgent India, they looked rusty, lagging in skill and energy.

As co-hosts with Sri Lanka, India were expected to reach the knockouts. Early emphatic wins, including one over arch rival Pakistan, signalled their intent to break their World Cup jinx. In the last decade, India reached two World Cup finals: losing to England in the 2017 ODI and to Australia in the 2020 T20. A strong start this time raised hopes of a title run, but consecutive losses to South Africa, Australia, and England threatened to derail it. All three matches were close. South Africa and Australia won by three wickets each with only a handful of deliveries to spare. England was even narrower, by a mere four runs defending 288.

The loss to South Africa stung most. Australia have long been India's nemesis, England evenly matched, but South Africa's win was a shock upset. These close encounters highlighted India's difficulty in sealing victories under pressure - defending against South Africa and chasing against England. Unforced errors leading to dropped catches, indiscreet strokes and poor bowling at crunch moments in these matches saw India repeatedly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. A jittery mindset and propensity to crumble under pressure were seen as major hurdles in India's progress. But the team rediscovered its mojo in time, as the authoritative victory over New Zealand on Thursday night showed.

But the biggest hurdles lie ahead. Which teams will square off against each other in the semi-finals would only be known after Friday's match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The other teams in the semi-final are Australia, England and South Africa, all of whom have beaten India in this tournament itself. The hardship quotient for India, therefore, is well-known. What India have learnt from earlier defeats to these teams, and how they will approach the task now remains to be seen. On paper, Australia, ranked number one by ICC, are strong favourites to win, with a star-studded side and an unbeaten record so far in this tournament. England are ranked number two and while not as rich in talent or as ruthlessly ambitious as Australia, have the resources to challenge the best. South Africa's men's team stunned the cricket world by beating Australia in the last World Test Championship final. Ranked number four, the women's team in this ODI World Cup has shown similar desire to beat the odds. Number three ranked India are in the race for supremacy, with experts backing them for a maiden title.

Smriti Mandhana, the top ODI batter, leads this tournament's run charts. Her opening partner, 25-year-old psychology graduate Pratika Rawal, has grown from playing sparkling cameos to big scores. Jemimah Rodrigues, who was dropped for a match after a string of low scores, has bounced back magnificently. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been somewhat below par, but a smashing half century against England suggested she was returning to her best. All-rounders, like Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, give the team all round heft and while Renuka Singh, Kanto Goud and Shree Charani have been extremely effective. The absence of a sixth bowler who can put in some quality overs has been sorely felt, especially in the matches India lost.

All told, India have the wherewithal plus home support to reach the pinnacle this time. Whether they have the self-belief and nerve to win is the lingering question. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.