Women's World Cup final, Ind vs Eng: Mithali-led women-in-blue's unstoppable journey

Indian women team is on the verge of scripting history in the good books of cricket if it wins the final match of the Women's World Cup which is to be played on 23 July against England at Lord's, London.

The Mithali Raj-led squad has been living a dream so far in the tournament, the biggest moment of which has been the 36-run win over six-time champions Australia in the semifinals.

India's best performance in the event has been a runners-up finish in the 2005 edition, where the team had lost to Australia in the final.

With Australia out of the way now, Sunday's final could prove to be the moment that changes the course of women's cricket in India.

Let's have a look at the complete journey of 'women in blue' in the tournament:

Ind vs Eng on 24 June

India women's cricket team have won by 35 runs against England in the ICC World Cup opening match. Skipper Mithali Raj credited the openers Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Raut for setting up their comfortable win over England.

Put into bat, Smriti Mandhana struck a sizzling 90 off 72 balls in a dominating batting display as India posted an imposing 281 for three after being asked to bat.

Mandhana forged a 144-run opening wicket stand with Poonam Raut (86 off 134) before skipper Mithali Raj (71 not out) completed an unprecedented seventh consecutive half century in ODIs.

India then dismissed England for 246 in 47.3 overs to notch up a 35-run win.

West Indies Women vs India Women on 29 June

India beat West Indies by seven wickets in their second match of the ICC Women's World Cup on 29 June.

Brief Scores:

West Indies Women: 183 for 8 in 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 43, Afy Fletcher 36 not out; Poonam Yadav 2/19, Deepti Sharma 2/27, Harmanpreet Kaur 2/42).

India Women: 186 for 3 in 42.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 106 not out, Mithali Raj 46; Shamilia Connell 1/23) .

India Women vs Pakistan Women, on 2nd July

Spinner Ekta Bisht wreaked havoc as India thrashed arch-rival Pakistan by 95 runs in their ICC Women's World Cup encounter at Derby.

Defending a lowly target of 170 runs, the Indian eves were spectacular with the ball as they didn't allow their arch-rival to claim a historic win and bowled out Pakistan for just 74 runs in 38.1 overs.

Ekta started casting her magic from the very start and was absolutely lethal, giving nothing away and picking wickets right from the beginning.

Ekta was the pick of the Indian bowlers as she picked up five wickets for just 18 runs in her allotted 10 overs.

Sri Lanka Women vs India Women on 5th July

Driving on Mithali Raj and Deepti Sharma brilliant batting performance, Indian Women Cricket Team registered its fourth consecutive win in the ICC Women's World Cup after beating Sri Lanka by 16 runs.

Deepti Sharma was awarded as the player of the match.

South Africa Women vs India Women on 8th July

A quartet of wickets and a half-century by South Africa captain Dane Van Niekerk led her side to its third victory of the ICC Women's World Cup with a 115-run win over India.

As far as the Indian innings are concerned, Smriti Mandhana was dispatched in the second over, before South Africa went on to take five more wickets within 27 balls.

Australia Women vs India Women on 12 July

Australia thrashed India by eight wickets in ICC Women's World Cup league match to reach in the semi-final.

Batting first, India scored 226 runs in 50 overs on a slow turner in Bristol after losing seven wickets.

Aussie captain Meg Lanning and all rounder Ellyse Perry stood firm against the Indian bowling attack.

The pair successfully chased the target of 227 runs in 45.1 overs. Lanning and Perry remained not out on 76 and 60 respectively. It was Perry's fourth successive fifty.

Indian spinners failed to dent the Australian batting and gave away a combined 183 in 34 overs.

India Women vs New Zealand Women on 15 July

The heroic batting performances by skipper Mithali Raj and a five-wicket haul from spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad helped 'women in blue' to thrash New Zealand by 188 runs and enter the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup.

Chasing a stiff target of 266, the White Ferns couldn't stand against a ruthless Indian bowling line up and were eventually bowled out for a mere 79 runs in just 25.3 overs at the County Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Indian skipper Mithali Raj was declared as the player of the match.

Australia Women vs India Women on 20th July

Harmanpreet Kaur, on 20 July, led from the front as India outplayed Australia in semi-final match by 36 runs in the ongoing Women's World Cup at the county ground.

Kaur's swashbuckle 171 runs helped India to enter in to finals.

India's explosive player becomes 5th Highest Run-Scorer In ODIs.

Chasing a daunting total of 282 in a match that was reduced to 42 overs because of rain, the defending champions were bowled out for 245 in the 40th over.

Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers as she took three wickets.

Apart from her, Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey both picked two wickets each and contributed to the side's astounding victory against the Meg Lanning led-side.

Now, India will face hosts England in what could be expected as a cracker of a final on Sunday at the iconic Lord's.

-With agencies inputs.

Now, India will face hosts England in what could be expected as a cracker of a final on Sunday at the iconic Lord's.