Harmanpreet-led team India made a great comeback after losing the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 opener clash against New Zealand by 58 runs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After losing the first match the Women in Blue defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets to register their maiden win of the tournament. After Pakistan, Team India created history in the third outing against Sri Lanka by defeating them with the biggest margin in the history of the Women's T20 World Cup.
With one loss and two wins team India are currently second in their group in the points table tally. Australia tops the tally with four points. Team India will now face Australia for their upcoming clash of the marquee event which is scheduled to take place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 13.
India will surely look to qualify for the semis after registering a dominating win against Asia Cup 2024 winners Sri Lanka.
Here is how India will qualify for the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal
The most easy and secure way to qualify for the semifinal is defeating Australia in the upcoming clash and hope both New Zealand and Pakistan lose at least one of their two remaining matches. India will then qualify on points without having to rely on NRR. India can also qualify for the semifinals on points if Australia loses both of their remaining matches. In that scenario, only one other team, either New Zealand or Pakistan, could reach six points.
If India defeats Australia in their final league game, a three-way tie with Australia and New Zealand at six points could occur. A narrow win for India, even by just one run, would keep New Zealand in the hunt; they would need to win their two remaining matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan by a combined margin of around 38 runs to surpass India's net run rate (NRR). If India wins by 10 runs, that required margin for New Zealand would increase to approximately 48 runs. New Zealand will have the advantage of playing their last league game against Pakistan, allowing them to know the exact scenario they need to achieve.
India could still qualify with four points even if they lose to Australia, as long as both Pakistan and New Zealand drop at least one of their remaining matches. It's crucial for India to minimize the margin of defeat, as the qualification would then hinge on net run rate (NRR) among the teams. The 82-run victory against Sri Lanka would be a significant advantage in this scenario.
