India fail to qualify for Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals after Pakistan lose to New Zealand

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India women’s team were knocked out of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup after New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 54 runs in the final Group A match in Dubai on Monday. As a result of their win, New Zealand qualified for the semi-finals from Group A, along with Australia who had topped the group. This is the first time since 2016 that India have failed to qualify for the semi-finals of a Women’s T20 World Cup.

The Women in Blue had made the semi-finals in the 2018 edition, qualified for the final of the 2020 edition where they lost to Australia, and reached the semi-finals of the 2023 edition where they were ousted by the Aussies again.

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Australia topped Group A with eight points, thus resulting in the defending champions end the group stage unbeaten. New Zealand finished the group stage with six points, with the White Ferns’ only loss coming against the Aussies, by a margin of 60 runs. India signed off their campaign after finishing third in Group A with four points from as many matches.

How India’s campaign turned out to be

India had begun the group stage with a heavy 58-run loss to New Zealand in the first match in Dubai, but bounced back with a six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the second match at the same venue a few days later. Despite their win over Pakistan, India’s Net Run Rate (NRR) remained in the negative (-1.217). Harmanpreet Kaur and Co then needed a big win against Sri Lanka to have any hope of qualifying for the semi-finals.

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The Women in Blue produced a clinical effort against Sri Lanka. Shafali Verma (43) and Smriti Mandhana (50) forged 98 runs for the first wicket, before both of them were dismissed in the 13th over. Harmanpreet (52*), though, helped India get to 172/3. A disciplined bowling effort from Arundhati Reddy and Asha Shobhana (Both with figures of 3/19) helped India dismiss Sri Lanka for 90 as they completed an 82-run win.

There were renewed hopes of India potentially qualifying for the semi-finals, but their next match was against Australia, and beating the reigning champions was always going to be tough. Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten half-century went in vain against Australia, as India were restricted to 142/9 while looking to chase down a target of 152.

Pakistan self-destruct against New Zealand 

Following their nine-run loss to Australia on Sunday, India needed Pakistan to beat New Zealand to keep their semi-final qualification hopes alive. New Zealand won the toss against Pakistan and opted to bat.

Openers Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates forged a 41-run stand for the first wicket before the former was dismissed by Nashra Sandhu in the seventh over. New Zealand were on the backfoot ever since, with Sandhu (3/18) ending as Pakistan’s pick of the bowlers to restrict the White Ferns to 110/6.

Pakistan, however, went into self-destruction mode as they lost half their side within the powerplay phase. The Women in Green were restricted to 28/5 in the powerplay, and it was only a matter of time before the Kiwis wrapped up the contest. Pakistan were all out for just 56 runs in 11.4 overs, with skipper Fatima Sana (21) top-scoring. Eden Carson (2/7) and Amelia Kerr (3/18) were the standout bowlers for New Zealand.