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How Can India Qualify For Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-Final After Big Defeat To NZ?

India's chances took a major hit in the opening game [Source: @indiancricketteam/Instagram]India's chances took a major hit in the opening game [Source: @indiancricketteam/Instagram]

Team India, one of the leading contenders for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, crashed to a huge 58-run defeat in the opening match of the tournament itself to New Zealand. Chasing 161 for a win, the ‘Women in Blue’ were bundled out for just 102 in 19 overs by the collective brilliance of Rosemary Mair (4-19) and Lea Tahuhu (3-15).

For India, no batter managed to outscore captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s mere 15-run effort, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma’s 13 runs each emerging as the next-best benefactor of the sorry-looking scorecard.

With Team India as good as knocked out from the semifinals race, they now face an uphill task in the coming days in a bid to secure a top two finish on the Group A points table.

What Harmanpreet Kaur and co. need to do to qualify?

In a bid to qualify for the semifinals of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Team India needs to defeat each of their remaining three Group A opponents. Moreover, they need to defeat continental rivals like Pakistan and Sri Lanka with huge margins to enhance their dismal NRR of -2.900. They also need to somehow overcome T20 heavyweights and defending champions Australia on October 13 in their final Group A match of the competition.

While India will fancy themselves to topple Pakistan and Sri Lanka, their last defeat against world champions Australia in a T20 World Cup game occurred back in February 2020.

India at the 2024 T20 World Cup: The road ahead

Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India will now face perennial arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6 for their next match of the tournament. The iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host the much-awaited contest, and the action will commence at 3:30 PM IST onwards.

The venue will also host India’s subsequent Group A match against Sri Lanka three days later, on October 9. The two teams recently crossed paths in the final of the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup, where Sri Lanka stunned the ‘Women in Blue’ by eight wickets to clinch their maiden Asian title.

India’s Group A run will conclude on October 13 with a match against Australia at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.