After Australia’s heartbreaking semifinal loss to India in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, all-rounder Ellyse Perry shared a thoughtful and heartfelt reflection on the team’s performance, praising India’s fearless run chase and acknowledging key moments that defined the result.

Australia, despite posting a formidable 338-run total, fell short as India scripted history with the highest-ever successful chase in a Women’s World Cup semifinal, powered by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues.

Ellyse Perry lauds Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues’ match-winning partnership

In the post-match press conference, Perry was full of admiration for the Indian duo’s poise under pressure.

Their 155-run stand turned the game decisively in India’s favour, helping the Women in Blue seal a famous victory and book a place in the World Cup final against South Africa.

“It’s really easy to stand here and talk about what could have been done differently,” Perry said. “But at the end of the day, every single one of us in the dressing room would applaud Harman and Jemi for the way they handled the chase after losing two early wickets in the powerplay. They just made us pay.”

Perry’s words reflected the deep respect between the two cricketing powerhouses. Despite the intensity of the contest, the Australian veteran acknowledged that India simply outplayed them in the crucial phases, especially with their fearless batting under pressure.

Key turning points in IND vs AUS Women’s World Cup 2025 semifinal clash

Australia had their moments in the game, led by Phoebe Litchfield’s explosive 119 and Perry’s composed 77, which powered them to a mammoth total.

However, dropped catches at vital junctures – particularly two missed opportunities to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues on 82 and 106 – proved costly.

Perry admitted that these lapses shifted the momentum entirely: “Those moments always hurt, especially in big games. But that’s part of cricket. You take your chances, or you watch the game slip away – and India did the latter brilliantly.”

The Aussies, known for their fielding excellence, will see this as a rare off-day on the big stage, one that ultimately ended their streak of reaching ICC finals since 2017.

“We’ll keep fighting – that’s what sport is about”: Perry

Despite the heartbreak, Perry’s tone was one of resilience and perspective.

She emphasized that the Australian team wouldn’t let the defeat overshadow their overall performance and growth over the past year.

“For all of us, the goal is always to keep fighting, embrace challenges, and stay in the game until the very end,” she said. “As long as we give our best effort, that’s all we can control. After all, it’s sport.”

The 34-year-old also dismissed parallels with Australia’s 2017 semifinal loss to India, describing this setback as part of the team’s ongoing evolution rather than a trigger for drastic change.

Perry was quick to downplay her own 77-run knock, instead highlighting contributions from teammates like Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner. “My innings is pretty irrelevant. It’s about the team effort. There’s so much talent and experience in this group,” she remarked.

While the loss ended Australia’s reign as world champions, Perry’s composed response showcased the maturity of a side that continues to set benchmarks for professionalism and sportsmanship in women’s cricket.

With India advancing to face South Africa in the final, Perry’s words capture both the pain of defeat and the spirit of respect that defines modern women’s cricket – a game where the torch of dominance may just be passing hands.

This article was first published at WomenCricket.coma Tezzbuzz company.