India and Australia secure semi-final spots in U19 Women’s T20 World Cup

India and Australia have joined South Africa in advancing to the semi-finals of the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, following dominant performances in the tournament held in Malaysia. With one game remaining in the Super 6 stage, the trio has demonstrated exceptional form, underlining their strength and consistency.

England, meanwhile, remains best placed to secure the fourth and final semi-final spot, provided they defeat New Zealand in their upcoming match on Monday. Nigeria, the USA, and New Zealand also have a mathematical chance of progressing, adding to the excitement as the tournament nears its knockout stage.

India has been in scintillating form, winning all three of their group matches against Sri Lanka, West Indies, and hosts Malaysia. They carried their momentum into the Super 6 stage, where they registered a comprehensive victory over Bangladesh on Sunday.

India’s top performer has been opening batter Trisha Gongadi, who is the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Gongadi has amassed 120 runs across 89 balls in her four innings, providing India with solid starts.

On the bowling front, left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma has been a standout, tying as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with exceptional combined figures of 9/23 in 12 overs. Her consistency has made her a formidable weapon in India’s campaign.

Australia has been equally impressive, dominating Group D with wins over Bangladesh, Scotland, and Nepal. They showcased their prowess with a convincing win over the West Indies in the Super 6 stage and triumphed in a final-over thriller against Bangladesh, edging past by two wickets.

With the ball, Eleanor Larosa and Caoimhe Bray have been the stars, taking seven wickets each, while their top order has consistently delivered throughout the tournament.

South Africa, the first team to secure a semi-final spot, has been in imperious form since the group stage. After an opening victory over New Zealand, they defeated Samoa and Nigeria in Group C before crushing Ireland in their first Super 6 match.

Captain Kayla Reyneke has led by example, taking nine wickets in four matches to emerge as one of the tournament’s leading bowlers. Wicketkeeper Karabo Meso has also been instrumental with destructive middle-order batting, boasting a tournament-best strike rate of 194.11.

England appears poised to claim the fourth semi-final spot, with a win against New Zealand on Monday guaranteeing their progression. However, Nigeria, the USA, and New Zealand remain in contention, depending on the outcome of the remaining matches.