Australia became the first team to secure the semi-final berth in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 with a thrilling 9-run win over India on Sunday. Australia successfully defended 151 runs in Sharjah to win all of their four Group A fixtures to enter the semi-finals.
Indian women's cricket team suffered a heartbreak as they now find a near-impossible job to reach the knockout round. India stay second in the Group A points table with 4 points in 4 games, on level with New Zealand. Pakistan also remain alive in the semi-final race with 2 points in 3 games.
New Zealand and Pakistan face each other in the last Group A fixture on Monday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. New Zealand need a win by any margin to join Australia in the top four but both India and Pakistan fancy outside chances.
Pakistan will find it very tough to beat the White Ferns having won only 2 of 11 encounters in T20Is so far. But if Pakistan somehow manage to beat New Zealand, then India will secure the semi-finals automatically, with no condition required. India's comparatively superior net run rate will remain above New Zealand's 0.282 regardless of any loss for the Kiwis.
In the last, Pakistan can also overtake both India and New Zealand if they beat the latter by a margin of 53 runs or more after scoring 150-plus total tomorrow. It looks an impossible task for any team to beat a strong team like New Zealand by this margin of runs but Fatima Sana's side has nothing to lose tomorrow.
ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Group A Table
| Teams |
M |
W |
L |
PTS |
NRR |
| Australia |
4 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
2.223 |
| India |
4 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0.322 |
| New Zealand |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
0.282 |
| Pakistan |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
-0.488 |
| Sri Lanka |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
-2.173 |
ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Group B Table
| Teams |
M |
W |
L |
PTS |
NRR |
| England |
3 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
1.716 |
| South Africa |
4 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
1.382 |
| West Indies |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1.708 |
| Bangladesh |
4 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
-0.844 |
| Scotland |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
-3.129 |
