The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is reaching its climax, and India’s semi-final hopes hinge on the outcomes of the remaining Group A matches. With Australia and India tied on four points, the fate of both teams is intertwined.
Australia’s match against Pakistan on Friday will significantly impact India’s chances. If Australia wins, they will move to six points and virtually secure a semi-final berth. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be eliminated from contention, as a win against New Zealand in their final group match would only take them to four points.
In this scenario, India would need to compete with New Zealand for the remaining semi-final spot. New Zealand has two matches remaining, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. If they win both, they would also reach six points. India must win their final match against Australia to reach six points and force a three-way tie. The semi-finalists would then be determined by net run rate (NRR).
However, if Pakistan upsets Australia, the group will become even more competitive, with Pakistan, Australia, and India all tied at four points. If New Zealand defeats Sri Lanka on Saturday, all four teams would be tied on four points, making it a four-way race.
In this scenario, India’s match against Australia becomes a must-win, as the winners of the final group matches – India vs Australia on Sunday and Pakistan vs New Zealand on Monday – would advance to the semi-finals.
Regardless of the outcome of the other matches, India must beat Australia in their final group match to remain in contention for a semi-final spot. Defeat against the defending champions would leave India’s fate entirely dependent on other results, a scenario they would surely like to avoid.
