Australia, South Africa win crunch games to soar into semis

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The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 group stage wrapped up on Sunday with Australia and South Africa securing their semi-final spots.

India v Australia

Scorecard

Australia rallied past India in the final group game at the Women's T20 World Cup at the Lord's Cricket Ground to maintain their unbeaten run at the tournament.

Fates of three teams -- Australia, India and South Africa-- were tied to the result of this match. While Australia already had a foot in the semi-finals, the six-wicket win on Sunday sent them through. 

It also helped South Africa confirm their final four spot as the second team from Group A and ended India's quest for a first T20 World Cup title.

After Harmanpreet Kaur's late charge took India to 170/4, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner led Australia's challenge, guiding the team to 172/4 in 19 overs. It was the highest successful chase in Women's T20 World Cups.

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma laid the foundation with a 66-run partnership after India elected to bat first.

Verma struck three fours and two sixes and was looking dangerous at 34 off 26 when she was castled by Sophie Molineux. Two overs later, Mandhana was run out on 38, following confusion between the wickets with Jemimah Rodrigues.

Once the openers were back in the pavilion, Rodrigues and Kaur picked up the baton and continued to build on the confident start. They stitched a partnership of 64 off 45 balls before Rodrigues was retired out.

Though the Indian captain took some time to settle in, she launched into overdrive in the death overs. Kaur hoisted a six over long off to bring up her 50 in 25 balls and record the fastest half-century by an Indian in Women's T20 World Cups.

It was one of the three successive sixes she hit off her opposite number Molineux in the final over. India finished with a flourish, amassing 36 runs in the last two overs to post a strong total.

Molineux was the only Australian bowler to claim wickets, and finished with 2/46. On Sunday, fielding let the team down as they spilled four catches, including three in the last two overs that ended up being boundaries.

The late charge had given India some momentum and they took it into the second innings. Renuka Singh Thakur gave the team the perfect start as she trapped Georgia Voll leg before wicket in the first over.

Australia were struggling to break free against India and with Sree Charani (2/32) and Deepti Sharma chipping in with wickets, the six-time champions were reduced to 68/3 in 9.1 overs.

Sharma finally had her milestone moment as she dismissed Beth Mooney to become the leading wicket-taker in women's international cricket, with 356 scalps.

But Australia's ace all-rounders Perry and Gardner steered them out of trouble with a 100-run partnership. Watchful at the beginning, the duo flipped the switch in the 13th over, when they garnered 17 runs off Radha Yadav.

Once they had the momentum, Australia ran away with it. Perry finished with 56 runs off 38 balls, with the help of eight boundaries. Meanwhile, Gardner, who steamrolled India with her power, struck three sixes and three fours to finish unbeaten on 53 off 29 balls.

South Africa v Bangladesh

Scorecard

South Africa survived a spirited challenge from Bangladesh to register a four-wicket win in their final Group A clash and stay in contention for a semi-final spot.

Defending a modest 118, Bangladesh made life difficult for their opponents as they kept punching back with wickets. The 2024 finalists, however, held their nerve to get over the finish line with four balls to spare.

While the defeat ended Bangladesh's hopes of progressing, South Africa's fate will be decided by the final group stage clash that pits India against Australia.

Bangladesh's decision to bat first seemed to backfire as they struggled against the new ball.

Marizanne Kapp set the tone for South Africa, striking with the wicket of Juairiya Ferdous on the very first delivery of the innings. Kapp and fellow pacer Shabnim Ismail, who trapped Taj Nehar leg before wicket, did not let Bangladesh batters settle and held them to 23/2 in powerplay.

A 56‑run partnership between Sobhana Mostary and Sharmin Akhter provided some stability, but the runs continued to come in a trickle. At 73/3 after 15 overs, the responsibility fell on Mostary and captain Nigar Sultana to provide some impetus.

Mostary top‑scored with 42, Akhter contributed 22 and Sultana's quickfire 32 saw Bangladesh garner 22 runs in the last two overs. However, the rest of the batters came up well short in the crucial game.

South Africa’s bowlers, however, continued to maintain pressure. Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed two wickets, while the rest of the attack chipped in with crucial breakthroughs. Kapp finished at 1/9 in four overs, to register the most economical bowling figures of the tournament.

In response, South Africa were sent on the back foot straight away as Marufa Akter struck on the first ball of the innings with the big wicket of Laura Wolvaardt. Akter got the ball to nip back in and knock the top of the stumps.

The Bangladesh pacer used the overcast conditions well to keep South Africa in check early on. 

After the early setback, South Africa steadied through a 52-run partnership between Tazmin Brits and Annerie Dercksen. They took the early sting out of the Bangladesh attack and brought the Proteas back on track.

But the Asian side, also hanging on to slim hopes of qualifying for the smei-final, kept fighting back with wickets. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter broke the partnership as she had Brits caught in the deep while Sanjida Akter Meghla trapped Dane Van Niekerk leg before wicket.

Dercksen held one end up and built another 28-run partnership with the experienced Kapp. But once Nahida dismissed Dercksen on 45, South Africa's vulnerable batting line-up was left exposed again.

They also lost Kapp to a needless run out and Nadine De Klerk in pursuit as Bangladesh started circling with greater purpose. With the match going down to the final over, Chloe Tryon steered South Africa across the finish line with four balls to spare.

It was another clinical show by Bangladesh, as none of their bowlers went over seven runs an over. Nahida was the pick of the lot with 2/24 from her four overs.

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