Australia Defeat India to Secure Women’s T20 World Cup Semi-Final Spot
Australia booked their place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals after defeating India by six wickets at Lord’s, ending India’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
The victory completed a perfect group-stage campaign for Australia, who won all five of their matches to finish at the top of the standings.
Perry and Gardner Lead Australia’s Successful Chase
Chasing a target of 171, Australia recovered from an early setback after losing opener Georgia Voll in the opening over.
Experienced all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner steadied the innings with a crucial 100-run partnership, putting Australia in control of the chase.
Perry scored 56 runs from 38 balls before being dismissed, while Gardner remained unbeaten on 53 off 29 deliveries, guiding her team to victory with one over remaining.
After the match, Perry said the team knew they needed a strong partnership after assessing the conditions.
She also said Australia’s focus would now shift to preparing for the semi-finals.
India’s Strong Total Falls Short
Earlier, India posted 170 for 4, their highest total against Australia in a Women’s T20 World Cup match.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur led the batting effort with an aggressive 56 off 27 balls, while openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave the team a solid start with a 66-run opening partnership.
Jemimah Rodrigues also contributed 34 runs, helping India build a competitive total, but Australia’s batting lineup successfully chased down the target.
India Exit Tournament
The defeat ended India’s hopes of winning their first Women’s T20 World Cup title after lifting the Women’s ODI World Cup trophy last year.
It also marked the second consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup in which India failed to reach the semi-finals following their group-stage exit in 2024.
Australia to Face West Indies
With the victory, Australia advanced to the semi-finals and will face the West Indies on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, defending champions New Zealand had already been eliminated from the tournament after losing to England, leaving the race for the Women’s T20 World Cup title wide open as the competition enters its final stage.
