Women’s T20 World Cup: What Harmanpreet Kaur-led India need to do to qualify for semi-finals – Scenarios explained | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: India’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 are still very much alive.After beating Bangladesh, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side climbed to second place in Group A with six points from four matches. Australia leads the group with eight points, while South Africa is third with six points, but a net lower rate.England became the first team to book a place in the semi-finals after beating West Indies on Friday. In group B, Ireland and Scotland were eliminated. In group A, Pakistan and Netherlands were eliminated.

What will India need to do to reach the semi-finals?

The equation for India is simple.If India beat unbeaten Australia in their final group stage match on Sunday, they will almost certainly qualify for the semi-finals. A win will take India to eight points, and their healthy net run rate of +2.268 puts them in a strong position ahead of South Africa (+0.734).

What if India lose to Australia?

If India lose to Australia, they will remain on six points.In this case, South Africa can qualify to beat Bangladesh, as they move to eight points and finish above India.

Can South Africa overtake India on net run rate?

There is a very unlikely situation where South Africa could finish above India even if India beat Australia.If South Africa bat first, they would need to beat Bangladesh by around 130-135 runs, depending on the total they score. At the same time, India would need to beat Australia by only a narrow margin of around eight to 10 runs.If Bangladesh bat first, South Africa should chase down the target in about five to six overs, while hoping that India do not register a big win over Australia.

The big game awaits

For now, India’s focus is clear. A win against Australia will put Harmanpreet Kaur’s side in a very strong position to reach the semi-finals and continue their impressive campaign.