Women's T20 World Cup Scenarios: India's semi-final chances after 82-run win over Sri Lanka

Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India registered a thumping 82-run win over Sri Lanka in their third Group A match of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai on Wednesday. A victory by a huge margin was necessary for India to keep their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive, especially after having lost to New Zealand heavily and a six-wicket win over Pakistan in their second match which came at a snail’s pace.

India’s win over Sri Lanka turned their Net Run Rate (NRR) to positive. The Women in Blue are currently in second place with four points from three matches and an NRR of +0.576, only behind Australia who are also with four points, but from two games. Australia have an NRR of +2.524, but India’s win over Sri Lanka should give the Women in Blue the required confidence ahead of Sunday’s match against the defending champions in Sharjah.

More from First Cricket News

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Match LIVE Updates: Amid boycott call, Men In Blue get ready to face arch-rivals in Dubai BCCI defends decision to play vs Pakistan in Asia Cup months after Pahalgam attack: 'If we boycott...'

As it happened | India vs Sri Lanka, Women's T20 World Cup  

On Wednesday, India won the toss and opted to bat first. Shafali Verma (43) and Smriti Mandhana (50) got off to an explosive start, with the two forging 98 runs for the opening wicket and setting a platform for the batters to come. Both Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur (52*) scored respective half-centuries, taking India to 172/3, their highest score in this edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

In reply, the Sri Lankan batters were no match to India’s bowlers. Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana both registered figures of 3/19, whereas Renuka (2/16) continued her splendid form. Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil also collected a wicket each, as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 90 in 19.5 overs.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

'Won't require surgery...': Real reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's absence from 5th Test revealed in new report

PCB bans players from WCL over India-Pakistan match controversy

The loss meant Sri Lanka’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals were over. Sri Lanka are in fifth place with no points after three points, and two teams already have four points.

Group A standings

India, on the other hand, live to fight another day and are now in genuine contention to make the last-four stage.

India’s T20 World Cup semi-final scenarios

If India win their final match against Australia

India’s easiest path to the semi-finals will come if they beat Australia in their final group stage match on Sunday. India don’t have an impressive record against Australia in T20 World Cups, having lost the semi-finals last year in South Africa and also the final of the 2020 edition in Australia.

India will have six points from four matches if they beat Australia. In such a scenario, India must hope that New Zealand and Pakistan, both of whom have two matches in hand, lose at least one match. In such a scenario, India will qualify on points and will not have to worry about NRR.

Should India beat Australia, Australia beat Pakistan and New Zealand win both of their remaining games, then there would be three teams on six points — Australia, India, and New Zealand, and it will all come down to the NRR to decide which two teams go through.

In another scenario where Pakistan get the better of Australia and New Zealand, and India defeat Australia, then both India and Pakistan will have six points from four matches and qualify for the semi-finals.

What if India lose their match against Australia?

Should India go down to Australia in their final group stage match, India will need New Zealand and Pakistan to lose at least one of their last two matches in the group stage. Should this happen, India, as well as New Zealand and Pakistan will remain on four points, and once again, the NRR will decide which team qualifies for the semi-finals along with Australia.