ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Can Harmanpreet Kaur’s Team India still qualify for semifinal after loss to Australia

The India women cricket team suffered a heartbreaking nine-run loss to defending world champions Australia in match No. 18 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Sharjah on Sunday (October 13). It was India’s final group A of this year’s World Cup and they are still currently in 2nd position on the Points Table with 4 points from 4 matches with 2 wins and 2 losses and net run-rate of 0.322.

But fate of Harmanpreet Kaur’s side to proceed into the semifinals is out of their hands now. New Zealand women cricket team will take on Pakistan in the final Group ‘A’ match. If New Zealand beat Pakistan, they will book their semifinal berth directly as they will have 6 points from 4 matches.

India’s massive loss to New Zealand in the opening game of the tournament will come back to haunt them now. It was a surprising result considering the fact that New Zealand were coming into this tournament on back of 10 successive defeats in T20I cricket.

If New Zealand somehow lose to Pakistan women cricket team on Monday (October 14), three teams will be on 4 points each – India, New Zealand and Pakistan – and the NRR will come into contention.

With India losing by nine runs, if New Zealand also lose – even if the latter happens off the last ball of the match or by a mere run – India will be through on NRR. Although Pakistan is will also be on 4 points like India and New Zealand, it is highly unlikely that they will be able to progress considering their poor NRR.

Defending champion Australia have already booked their place in the semifinal thanks to their win over India. “I think their (Australia) entire team contribute, they don’t depend on one or two players, they have a lot of all-rounders who contribute. We also planned well and we were there in the game. They didn’t gave away easy runs and made it difficult. They are an experienced side. That is something that is not in your control, you have to always keep your playing eleven ready even when one or two player misses out,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who scored an unbeaten fifty against Australia, said.

Captain #HarmanpreetKaur proves she is the best against the best!

LIVE NOW #WomensWorldCupOnStar #INDvAUS only on Star Sports Network. pic.twitter.com/tfZpTUvpFq

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 13, 2024

Indian skipper equaled Smriti Mandhana (2023 T20 World Cup) and former skipper Mithali Raj’s (2018 T20 World Cup) record by scoring her second successive fifty in the tournament. Harmanpreet also now has joint-most runs for India in T20 World Cup – 726 runs – along with Mithali Raj. Smriti Mandhana is in third place with 524 runs.