India sent out a warning to Australia and New Zealand today, the CricInfo Women's World Cup is not going to be decided between them alone.

India's eight-run win over an England team that failed to take advantage of several opportunities to win the game at Lincoln Oval yesterday lent a fascinating touch to the remainder of the pool games to decide the semi-finalists.

India arrived in New Zealand saying it was good enough to win the tournament and if there were any doubters they have been silenced.

The Indians didn't make enough runs when batting first by their own choice.

Captain Anju Jain felt her side's 155/7 was 50 runs short of what it should have been while England's Clare Connor said, "To not be able to get 155 on a flat wicket, with a quick outfield and short boundaries is not good enough."

That really summed up the wasted opportunity for the English. Only Claire Taylor could feel any satisfaction with her effort. She scored an anchor-like 60, but even then she left herself open to criticism when getting out at a stage vital to the side.

However, she at least did what was expected of her by scoring runs. Most of her batsmen didn't.

Again, England's bowlers created the opportunity. Clare Taylor (2-18), Connor (2-25), Dawn Holden (1-25) and Lucy Pearson (1-29), all off 10 overs, deserved greater reward for their endeavours.

Tears flowed among the English as they realised what their loss meant - an early ticket home unless they can beat both Australia and New Zealand to force their way into the semi-finals.

Given their form in the tournament that is an improbable possibility.

The essential difference between the sides was 25-year-old Rupanjali Shastri.

She was 29 not out off 28 balls and helped Smitha Harikrishna (17 not out) add 46 in the last eight overs. Their 46-run stand shut England out.

Shastri achieved her highest international score but her batting was only a fraction of her CricInfo Player of the Match performance.

While she has been used to opening the bowling with her off-spin in Indian domestic games, today was the first time she had done it in an international.

She removed opening batsman Kathryn Leng in the fourth over and then, when coming back for her second spell, she had an almost immediate effect by picking up Jane Cassar for 18 to break a potential match-winning 43-run stand with Taylor.

Then, as England mounted a rearguard challenge, she caught Clare Taylor to make England's task all but impossible.

"We didn't consider our lower order batsmen tailenders. They are all all-rounders. We told her when she went in to see how many runs she could get," Jain said.

Earlier, Chanderkanta Kaul scored 45, in what was a significant hand, from 78 balls. Coming as it did in the middle of the innings after India had been 51/3 off 20 overs it was a vital role.

Jain said: "We wanted to get two or three early wickets to put the pressure on the other side."

Connor, who made her own vain effort to lift the side when scoring 23 before being bowled, said: "I've said before that we have as much talent and potential as other teams. But we are not developing partnerships.

"Claire Taylor played a fine innings because she carried on playing aggressively even when we were losing wickets.

"When I went out I wanted to move the field back, and I did that. But as soon as you do that, they quickly move the field.

"People have got to take a good hard look at themselves and their performances.

"But we've done all that talking in the past. We just have to persevere," she said.

India's next game is a tougher proposition, against Australia on Wednesday, while England plays Ireland on Thursday.

© CricInfo