Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India bounced back from their defeat against New Zealand in opener with a six-wicket victory over their arch-rivals Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 clash on October 6. This win marked India's first victory of the tournament.
India's bowlers restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 105/8, with Nida Dar being the only notable contributor with 28 runs. Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil were particularly impressive, claiming three and two wickets respectively.
India's batting lineup faced a challenging start, with Smriti Mandhana being dismissed early. However, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues steadied the ship with a 43-run partnership. Despite losing three wickets in quick succession, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma guided India towards victory. Kaur retired hurt when India needed just two runs to win, but the team comfortably chased down the target in 18.5 overs.
A look at India's semifinal qualification scenario in Women's T20 World Cup
Following their victory over Pakistan, India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 is gaining momentum. With two more group games remaining, India must win both matches to secure a strong position for a place in the semifinals.
Competition for Semifinal Spots
Only the top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals. India's fate will depend on their own performances as well as the results of other teams.
Scenario 1: India wins both remaining matches:
If India end up winning both their remaining matches, they will reach a maximum of six points. In this scenario, a win for New Zealand against Australia would be sufficient for India to qualify for the semifinals.
Scenario 2: India wins one match:
If India end up winning one of their remaining matches, they will need New Zealand to lose at least one of their matches against Australia or Pakistan. In this case, the teams' net run rates (NRRs) will come into play to determine qualification.
Scenario 3: India loses to Australia:
If India lose to Australia, their hopes of qualifying will depend on New Zealand losing to both Australia and Pakistan. In this scenario, both teams will have four points, and their NRR will determine who advances to the semifinals.
India's success in the T20 World Cup 2024 hinges on their upcoming matches against Australia and Sri Lanka.
