India’s hopes of advancing to the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinals now rest on an unlikely source – their rivals, Pakistan. After a heartbreaking nine-run loss to Australia on Sunday, India is left relying on Pakistan to defeat New Zealand. Australia, with a flawless record of four wins, secured their semifinal spot by topping Group A. India, sitting on four points after two wins and two losses, can only progress if Pakistan overcomes New Zealand on Monday, bringing the final semifinal spot down to net run-rate. If New Zealand secures victory, India will be eliminated.
“It’s not in our control,” admitted India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur. “If we get the opportunity to play again, that would be wonderful, but ultimately, the team that deserves to be in the semifinals will make it.”
Australia, six-time champions, were without captain Alyssa Healy, who suffered a foot injury during the match against Pakistan. Tahlia McGrath stepped in to lead the side, with Healy’s replacement, Grace Harris, delivering a top score of 40, and McGrath adding 32 to Australia’s total of 151-8 after electing to bat. India fought back, with Kaur contributing an unbeaten 54 and sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 63 with Deepti Sharma, who made 29. The match went down to the final over, with India needing 14 runs off the last six balls. However, Australian bowler Annabel Sutherland held her nerve, conceding just four runs and taking four wickets, sealing Australia’s 15th consecutive win in the tournament.
McGrath praised her team’s resilience: “We want to win every game we play. India pushed us hard today, but I’m proud of the group for holding our nerve.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan, led by stand-in captain Muneeba Ali, are still clinging to hopes of their own semifinal spot. They need a win against New Zealand, along with a significant boost to their net run-rate, which lags behind both India and New Zealand. The return of their regular captain Fatima Sana, who missed their previous match due to a family emergency, is expected to strengthen the team’s chances. “The pool is still open,” said Muneeba. “If we secure a strong victory tomorrow, we still have an opportunity to qualify”.
As for England, they dominated Scotland with a 10-wicket victory, inching closer to a semifinal spot in Group B, while Scotland and Bangladesh have already exited the competition after failing to win any matches.