India Women registered an emphatic 82-run victory over Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, keeping their semi-final hopes alive. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur were instrumental in the win, but despite the impressive result, India’s fate is not entirely in their hands.
India’s Victory and Net Run Rate Recovery
India’s commanding performance against Sri Lanka helped them recover their net run rate, which had taken a hit after their loss to New Zealand.Â
Mandhana’s 50 and Harmanpreet’s blistering half-century helped India post a competitive 172/3.
Sri Lanka crumbled under pressure, managing only 90 runs, as Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana’s 3-wicket hauls sealed the win.
While this improved India’s position, the qualification race remains tight, as New Zealand and Pakistan still have two games each, with their destiny in their own hands.
India’s Semi-final Chances
The qualification scenario is tricky for India. If New Zealand and Pakistan win their remaining matches, India will be left behind despite their superior net run rate.
New Zealand has relatively easier opponents left, and Pakistan’s performance against Australia will also be crucial.
India’s next match against Australia is now a must-win. Defeating the tournament favourites could push India through, but a loss will make them reliant on favourable outcomes from the other teams’ matches.
How Can India Qualify for Semis?
India’s path to the semifinals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hinges on their next match against Australia. To ensure a spot in the semifinals, India must win against the Aussies. A loss would make their chances of progressing slim, relying heavily on other match results.
While India can still qualify even if they lose to Australia, it would require New Zealand to lose both of their remaining games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Alternatively, New Zealand would need to win by a small margin against Pakistan and then lose to Sri Lanka, while Australia must also beat Pakistan. Though possible, these outcomes are unlikely, making it crucial for India to beat Australia.
How Net Run Rate Affects India’s Chances
Net Run Rate (NRR) will be crucial in deciding the semifinal spots, especially if teams end up with the same number of points.
After their big win against Sri Lanka, India’s NRR has improved to +0.576, which is better than New Zealand’s -0.050. Australia currently leads with an NRR of +2.524.
If Australia beats Pakistan in their next match, reaching 6 points, India would need a significant win to boost their NRR and secure a place in the semi-finals
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