India went down to South Africa in a crucial Women’s T20 World Cup encounter, severely hurting their semi-final hopes. Here’s how they can make it to the last four of Women’s T20WC.
Women’s T20 World Cup Group A table
India retained their second spot on the points table despite the defeat, courtesy their healthy net run-rate, which would come in handy if things go down to the wire.
| Rank | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | Points | NRR |
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | +4.391 |
| 2 | India | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +2.511 |
| 3 | South Africa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.546 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.641 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.857 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.384 |
Group A schedule
June 23: Australia vs Pakistan
June 25: India vs Bangladesh, Netherlands vs South Africa
June 27: Netherlands vs Pakistan
June 28: Bangladesh vs South Africa, Australia vs India
If India win both their remaining games
If India win both their remaining matches, they will get to eight points. With a big NRR advantage over South Africa, they will most likely book their place in the semifinals irrespective of how other matches in the group pan out.
India’s recent record against Australia would give them some confidence: they defeated Sophie Molineux and Co. 2-1 in a three-T20I series down under earlier this year. But getting the better of a well-drilled Australia unit, who weren’t the pre-tournament favourites but have played like one, would be a tall task.
If India win one of their remaining two matches
India will want to further boost their NRR with a big win over Bangladesh in their next match before heading into the Australia encounter. Assuming they lose to Australia and finish with six points, the only way they can move past the group stage and into the semifinals is if South Africa go down to either Netherlands or Bangladesh, or both. If India and South Africa eventually finish on the same number of points, the NRR will come into play, where India have a healthy lead.
This scenario, however, is highly unlikely. South Africa have lost just twice to Bangladesh in 15 encounters, and beat Netherlands comprehensively in their only WT20I match-up, all the way back in 2010. That was Marizanne Kapp's fifth match in the format, she has now played 123 WT20Is, and looks in ominous form.
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