Holders Australia overcame the absence of skipper Alyssa Healy to beat India with a tense nine-run win to book their place in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals on Sunday.
Tahila McGrath led Australia to a six-run win in Sharjah after Healy was ruled out with a foot injury after batting against Pakistan on Friday.
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Healy’s replacement Grace Harris top-scored with 40, McGrath made 32 and Australia were 151-8 after electing to bat first.
In reply, India finished at 142-9 with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hitting an unbeaten 54 and Deepti Sharma hitting 29 to advance to the final.
Australia Book World Cup Semi-Finals | 02:25
India needed 14 off the last six balls but lost four wickets with Australian bowler Annabel Sutherland giving away four runs.
The win extended Australia’s tournament winning streak to 15 matches. They officially advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament for the ninth time in a row when India were 74-3 in 10.4 overs.
India will need arch-rivals Pakistan to win their final group match against New Zealand.
If New Zealand wins, it will take second place in Group A and advance to the semifinals. A Pakistan win would give India and New Zealand four points and their net run percentage would decide who advances.
Medium-pace bowler Renuka Singh rocked Australia early on with two wickets in successive balls, sending back Beth Mooney for two and Georgia Wareham for a duck.
Harris steadied the innings in a stand of 62 runs with McGrath leading the way with 32 off 26 balls, including four fours.
Ellyse Perry led the innings with 32 off 23 deliveries. She put on a brisk stand of 33 for the sixth wicket with Phoebe Litchfield, who finished the innings with an unbeaten 15.
Off-spinner Deepti took two wickets, including Harris and Perry, and almost took Litchfield lbw.
Left-hander Litchfield attempted a switch hit and the ball hit the pad outside leg stump for the left-hander, but India protested calls to consider the right-hander after a change of stance.
The batter was about to leave when the third umpire ruled that he was not out, so he came back smiling.
Australian fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament after suffering a dislocated shoulder against Pakistan.
