Despite their loss to England on Saturday, India still has a chance to make the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals.
India suffered their first defeat in the Women's T20 World Cup on Saturday (February 18) at St. George's Park in Gqeberha at the hands of England. The Heather Knight-led side narrowly defeated the Women in Blue by 11 runs in an exciting match. Despite a valiant effort from the Indian team, England's superior batting and bowling proved to be the difference in the end, as they emerged victorious in a thrilling contest.
Despite the recent setback, India still has a chance to make it to the semi-finals and take control of their own destiny. The Women in Blue will be looking to make a statement when they take on Ireland on Monday (February 20) at the same venue in their final group stage match. With a win, they can secure a spot in the semi-finals and continue their quest for glory.
Here's how India can still qualify for the semi-final
India have so far been triumphant in two of their three matches, while England have been undefeated in all three. A win against Ireland in their final group stage game could be enough to propel India into the semi-finals. However, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led squad will have to battle hard if they are to finish atop the group.
If India is to finish first in the group, they must not only defeat Ireland but also hope that England loses to Pakistan. Even then, this may not be enough, as England's net run rate of +1.766 is significantly higher than India's +0.205. In fact, if Pakistan defeats the West Indies later tonight, India could be eliminated due to the Women in Green's superior net run rate of +1.542 compared to the Women in Blue.
Talking about the match, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl first. Renuka Singh Thakur delivered a remarkable five-wicket haul, recording the best figures ever by an Indian pacer in a T20 World Cup game. England posted a total of 151 runs, but despite a fifty from Smriti Mandhana and a late surge from Richa Ghosh, India were unable to reach the target.
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