India’s chances of reaching the semifinals in the Women’s T20 World Cup suffered a major setback following a close nine-run defeat to Australia in their final Group A match on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 152, India came up short, managing 142 for 9. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the innings with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with 29 and Shafali Verma scored 20.
India needed 53 runs from the last five overs and managed three boundaries in the 16th over, adding tension to the closing stages. However, Sharma was caught at the boundary for 29, and Ghosh’s run-out from Litchfield’s direct hit swung the momentum back to Australia. Kaur and Vastrakar fought back with some crucial boundaries, bringing the equation to 14 runs required in the final over. But with Australia taking four wickets and keeping Kaur off strike, they secured a hard-fought victory.
Despite the defeat, India remains in second place on the points table with two wins and two losses. Their net run rate has dipped to 0.322, yet it remains higher than that of third-placed New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Australia secured their place in the semifinals as the first team from Group A, maintaining a perfect record with four wins out of four matches.
India rely on Pakistan for their semi-final quest
India’s hopes now rest on Monday’s match between Pakistan and New Zealand. A victory for Pakistan would open the door for India to reach the semifinals. New Zealand, currently third with four points, will claim the last spot if they win.
A thrilling finish to the #INDvAUS contest ensures that three Group A sides remain in contention for a Women's #T20WorldCup semi-final spot.
Standings ➡ https://t.co/3VRq5W4l5R#WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/YxLTSgDze1
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 13, 2024
Should Pakistan emerge victorious, it would create a three-way tie between India, New Zealand, and Pakistan, each with four points. In that case, India’s superior net run rate (NRR) would secure them a spot in the semifinals. However, with an NRR of -0.488, Pakistan would need an overwhelming win to qualify alongside Australia.
When will the Pakistan Women vs New Zealand Women T20 World Cup fixture take place?
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 match between Pakistan Women and New Zealand Women will be played on Monday, October 14 at 6 pm local time and 7:30 PM IST
Where to watch the live telecast of the Pakistan W vs New Zealand W T20 World Cup fixture?
The live telecast of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 match between Pakistan Women and New Zealand Women will be available on the Star Sports platform.
Where to watch live streaming of the Pakistan W vs New Zealand W T20 World Cup fixture?
Fans can watch the Pakistan Women vs New Zealand Women T20 World Cup match live on Hotstar via streaming.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
