Australia defeated India to advance to the T20 World Cup semifinals
Australia clinched their spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinals with a thrilling nine-run victory over India, leaving the latter anxiously awaiting their fate regarding a place in the final four.
The defending champions solidified their position at the top of Group A after winning all four of their matches. However, India, currently in second, needs New Zealand to lose to Pakistan on Monday and must maintain a superior net run-rate (NRR) to secure their advancement.
Chasing a target of 152 in front of a lively crowd in Sharjah, India began aggressively, keeping pace with the required run rate. With captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s commendable 54 off 47 balls, they entered the final over needing 14 runs to win.
Yet, Australia’s Annabel Sutherland held her composure, conceding just four runs while taking three wickets to seal the victory.
Despite missing injured captain Alyssa Healy, Australia rebounded from the loss of two early wickets to finish with 151-8, their highest total of the tournament. Opener Grace Harris top-scored with 40 runs from 41 balls, while Ellyse Perry and stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath each contributed 32 runs. Although injuries to Healy and Tayla Vlaeminck, who is out with a dislocated shoulder, affected preparations, Australia’s depth proved formidable.
Australia initially stumbled to 17-2 when Renuka Singh Thakur dismissed Beth Mooney and Georgia Wareham in consecutive deliveries. However, Harris and McGrath’s partnership of 62 for the third wicket steadied the innings. A mid-innings collapse saw Australia slip from 79-2 to 101-5, but Perry and Phoebe Litchfield helped finish strongly.
India started aggressively, reaching 41-2 at the end of the powerplay, surpassing Australia’s start. However, they struggled against Australia’s spinners in the middle overs. A fourth-wicket partnership of 63 between Harmanpreet and Deepti Sharma, who scored 29 off 25 balls, raised hopes of a dramatic win.
Despite falling short, India still has a chance to reach the semifinals, though their earlier tournament performances could ultimately determine their fate.
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