Former India captain Mithali Raj has called for a batting-order reshuffle, suggesting that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur be promoted to number four and Jemimah Rodrigues slotted at number five, following India's six-wicket defeat to South Africa in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 22 June. The loss ended India's unbeaten run in the tournament and complicated their path to the semi-finals.

Mithali's Case for the Reshuffle

'It was a disappointing game for India because, had they won this, they would be on top of the table, and now they have no other choice but to beat Australia to get into the semi-finals,' Mithali told JioStar. She argued that Harmanpreet batting as low as number five is an underutilisation of her firepower at a critical stage of the innings.

'From batting order point of view, we haven't seen Harmanpreet bat that late at number five very often, so perhaps she can come in at number four and Jemimah at number five,' Mithali said. She noted that Jemimah has a strong record at the position and is well-suited to face spinners, which is typically what a number-five batter encounters mid-innings.

'Jemimah has played at number five before and scored a lot of runs there. By the time she comes in, she will most likely face the spinners, which is her strength. She can use her feet and plays the scoops and sweeps well. That could help build her confidence, get her back into rhythm and regain that momentum, with Harmanpreet batting ahead of Jemimah,' she added.

How India Lost a Winnable Game

India had posted a competitive 158 on the board, a total that appeared sufficient to keep their Group A campaign on track. However, South Africa's Marizanne Kapp produced a match-winning unbeaten 81 off 45 deliveries to guide the Proteas home in the final over. Two dropped catches compounded India's misery, turning what looked a regulation defence into a painful defeat.

The result handed India their first loss of the tournament and significantly tightened their qualification equation. They now need victories in their remaining two group matches — against Bangladesh and Australia — to confirm a semi-final berth.

Shree Charani's Bright Spell

Despite the defeat, Mithali singled out left-arm spinner Shree Charani as one of India's standout performers. Charani struck twice in a single over to reduce South Africa to 25 for 2 early on, and returned later to add a third wicket with a similarly disciplined spell.

'Shree Charani is a quick learner. She made her debut in English conditions, so she pretty much knows the conditions. There wasn't much turn on offer for her on a pitch like this, but she made sure that she was attacking the stumps consistently and keeping them in play as much as she could. She varied her pace and lengths and even set the fields she wanted,' Mithali said.

'Getting those two big wickets in that one over brought India back into the game. Even when she was brought on for her second spell, Charani bowled very tight lines. She hardly gave anything away outside off stump,' she added. Charani's breakthroughs had briefly stalled the South African chase before Kapp's counterattack changed the complexion of the match.

What India Must Do Next

India's semi-final hopes now rest on back-to-back wins. A victory over Bangladesh is widely expected, but the clash against Australia — a heavyweight of women's T20 cricket — will be the real test. Whether the team management acts on Mithali's batting-order advice before those games remains to be seen, but the debate around India's middle-order sequencing has now moved to the centre of the tournament conversation.