India on Sunday were left hoping archrivals Pakistan could rescue their Women’s T20 World Cup dreams after suffering an agonizing nine-run loss to defending champions Australia.
Australia made sure of their semi-final spot by topping Group A with a perfect four wins from four matches.
India, on four points after two wins and two losses, must hope that Pakistan beat New Zealand to leave the second semi-final place to be decided on net run-rate.
Photo: AP
However, a win for the Kiwis would put them into the last four and eliminate India.
“It’s something which is not in our control,” India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said. “If we get the opportunity to play another game, that will be great, but otherwise, whoever deserves to be there, that team will be there.”
Six-time champions Australia overcame the absence of skipper Alyssa Healy to become the first team to guarantee a semi-final berth.
Tahlia McGrath led Australia after Healy dropped out with a foot injury, suffered while batting in a victory over Pakistan on Friday last week.
Healy’s replacement Grace Harris top-scored with 40 and McGrath hit 32 as Australia posted 151-8 after electing to bat first.
India finished on 142-9, with Kaur hitting an unbeaten 54 as she put on a fourth-wicket stand of 63 with Deepti Sharma, who made 29 and took the fight to the final over.
India needed 14 off the final six balls, but lost four wickets as Australia bowler Annabel Sutherland gave away just four runs.
The victory extended Australia’s winning streak to 15 in the tournament.
“We want to win every game we play,” McGrath said. “We knew it was going to be a really big challenge for us today. They came really hard at us. I am just really proud of the group. We held our nerve at the end there.”
In Group B, England crushed Scotland by 10 wickets with opening batters Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge putting on an unbeaten century partnership.
England restricted Scotland to 109-6 in 20 overs after left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone returned figures of 2-13.
England romped home with 10 overs to spare as Bouchier hit 62 off 34 deliveries, earning herself player of the match honors as her team closed in on a semi-final spot.
Wyatt-Hodge smashed 51 off 26 balls in a commanding display by the 2009 champions.
A third successive win sent England top of Group B ahead of South Africa, who have three wins out of four, and the West Indies.
England face the West Indies today in Dubai with the Caribbean side, champions in 2016, needing to win to stay in contention.
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