Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Semi-final qualification in peril as India stumble against Australia

Team India (Pic: @BCCIWomen/X)

India lost to defending champions Australia by nine runs in their last group match to find themselves in a difficult position to qualify for the semifinals of the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 152 runs, India fell short, finishing at 142 for 9.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was the standout performer for the Indian side, scoring an impressive 54 not out off 47 balls. Support came from Deepti Sharma, who contributed 29 runs, and Shafali Verma, who added 20. Despite their efforts, the team could not secure the necessary runs to advance in the tournament.

India concluded their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Group A campaign with four points, having recorded two wins and two losses. In contrast, Australia topped the group with an undefeated record of four victories, thereby securing their spot in the semifinals. New Zealand, also with four points, now requires a win against Pakistan on Monday to advance to the knockout stage.

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Opting to bat first, Australia managed to post a total of 151 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Opener Grace Harris emerged as the top scorer for the Australian team, amassing 40 runs from 41 balls. Stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath and veteran Ellyse Perry both provided solid contributions, scoring 32 runs each.

For India, the bowling attack demonstrated some effectiveness, with Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma each taking two wickets. Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil also contributed to the bowling efforts, each claiming one wicket. Their performance, however, was not enough to derail the Australian batting lineup.

Brief Scores: Australia: 151 for 8 in 20 overs (Grace Harris 40; Renuka Singh 2/24, Deepti Sharma 2/28).

India: 142 for 9 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 54 not out; Annabel Sutherland 2/22, Sophie Molineux 2/32).