India were left hoping old rivals Pakistan can rescue their Women’s T20 World Cup dreams after suffering an agonising nine-run loss to defending champions Australia on Sunday.
Australia made sure of their semi-final spot by topping Group A with a perfect four wins from four matches.
India, on four points after two wins and two losses, must hope that Pakistan beat New Zealand on Monday to leave the second semi-final place to be decided on net run-rate.
A win for the Kiwis, however, will put them into the last-four and eliminate India.
“It’s something which is not in our control,” admitted India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
“If we get the opportunity to play another game, that will be great. But otherwise, whoever deserves to be there, that team will be there.”
Six-time champions Australia overcame the absence of skipper Alyssa Healy to become the first team to guarantee a semi-final berth.
Tahlia McGrath led Australia after Healy dropped out with a foot injury, suffered while batting in a victory over Pakistan on Friday.
Healy’s replacement Grace Harris top-scored with 40 and McGrath hit 32 as Australia posted 151-8 after electing to bat first.
In reply, India finished on 142-9 with Kaur hitting an unbeaten 54 as she put on a fourth-wicket stand of 63 with Deepti Sharma, who made 29, and took the fight to the final over.
India needed 14 off the last six balls, but lost four wickets as Australian bowler Annabel Sutherland gave away just four runs.
The victory extended Australia’s winning streak to 15 in the tournament.
“We want to win every game we play,” said McGrath.
“We knew it was going to be a really big challenge for us today. They came really hard at us. I am just really proud of the group. We held our nerve at the end there.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan stand-in skipper Muneeba Ali said her team has not given up hope of squeezing into the semi-finals.
As well as beating New Zealand on Monday, Pakistan also have to significantly improve a run-rate which is inferior to that of both the Kiwis and India.
“We know that the pool is still open. We have a chance to win tomorrow’s match and if we win by a good margin, we have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals,” said Muneeba.
Pakistan will be boosted by the return of skipper Fatima Sana who missed the nine-wicket loss to Australia after briefly returning home following the death of her father.
‘Keep the momentum’
In Group B, England crushed Scotland by 10 wickets with openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge putting on an unbeaten century partnership.
England restricted Scotland to 109-6 in 20 overs after left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone returned figures of 2-13 in a disciplined bowling attack.
England romped home with 10 overs to spare as Bouchier hit 62 off 34 deliveries, earning herself player of the match honours as her team closed in on a semi-final spot.
Wyatt-Hodge smashed 51 off 26 balls in a commanding display by the 2009 champions.
A third successive win sent England top of Group B ahead of South Africa, who have three wins out of four, and the West Indies.
England face the West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai with the Caribbean side, champions in 2016, needing to win to stay in contention for the semi-finals.
“Just try and win, exactly the same way we have approached (the tournament so far),” skipper Heather Knight said of facing the West Indies.
“You want to keep winning, keep that momentum and we want to go again, get some momentum and make it to the semis.”
Scotland, who ended winless after qualifying for the tournament for the first time, and Bangladesh have already bowed out of the 10-team competition.
“Pretty tough tournament in general but a massive honour to be here and to be leading the team out in a tournament like this,” skipper Kathryn Bryce said. “Only learnings to be taken from here.”
