Ireland secured its first-ever T20 World Cup victory by defeating West Indies.
Despite the loss, West Indies qualified for the semi-finals due to a better net run rate.
Defending champion New Zealand was eliminated from the tournament after losing to England.
England and West Indies have qualified for the semi-finals from Group B.
Sports Desk | A major upset on Saturday completely changed the semi-final race in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Ireland registered a historic victory over West Indies, but despite this, the West Indies team managed to reach the final four based on a better net run rate. Meanwhile, this result knocked defending champions New Zealand out of the tournament.
Ireland's Historic Win Creates History
The Irish team, which had been struggling for a win in the tournament, delivered a stellar performance in their final group match. They registered their first-ever victory in the history of the T20 World Cup by defeating a strong team like West Indies. This win is a source of inspiration not just for Ireland but for all associate nations.
In this crucial match, West Indies batted first and posted a respectable score of 128 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. The top order provided a good start, but the middle-order batsmen failed to convert it into a big score.
Chasing a target of 129, the Irish team started with confidence. Their batters played a sensible innings, taking the team close to the target. In the end, Ireland achieved this historic target in just 18.4 overs, losing only 4 wickets. This 6-wicket victory caused a major stir in the Group B equations.
Defending Champion New Zealand's Journey Ends
After Ireland's unexpected win, a slim hope arose for New Zealand to reach the semi-finals. For this, they had to defeat the unbeaten England in their final match. Had they done so, they could have advanced on a better net run rate.
However, the defending champions suffered a defeat against England in a tough contest. With this loss, all their hopes of reaching the semi-finals were dashed, and their dream of defending the title was shattered. New Zealand could only manage 4 points from 5 matches.
This loss is hard to digest, but England played better cricket than us. We made some mistakes in the tournament, and we paid the price. We will come back stronger.
England and West Indies Advance from Group B
After the conclusion of this thrilling group stage, England and West Indies have secured their places in the semi-finals from Group B. England topped the group with 10 points, winning all five of their matches and presenting a strong claim for the title.
Meanwhile, West Indies gathered 6 points with 3 wins in 5 matches. Sri Lanka also had 6 points but fell behind in the net run rate game. West Indies' net run rate (-0.147) was significantly better than Sri Lanka's (-0.725), which earned them a ticket to the final four.
Qualification for the 2028 World Cup
Qualification for the next World Cup is also being decided based on the performance in this tournament. From Group B, Scotland and Ireland will now have to play qualifiers for the Women's T20 World Cup in 2028. Pakistan will host the 2028 World Cup, so they get direct entry.
Tense Battle in Group A
All eyes are now on Group A, from where the two semi-finalists are yet to be decided. Australia has almost secured its place, leading the points table with 4 wins in 4 matches.
The real contest is for the second spot between India, South Africa, and Bangladesh. India and South Africa have 6 points each from 4 matches, while Bangladesh is in fourth place with 4 points. India's net run rate (+2.268) is much better than South Africa's (+0.734).
Two crucial matches will be played in Group A today, which will clear the semi-final picture. In the first match, India will face the unbeaten Australia. In the second match, South Africa will take on Bangladesh.
If the Indian team defeats Australia, they will directly qualify for the semi-finals without any complications. However, even in case of a loss, they will have a chance, provided the Bangladesh team defeats South Africa. In that scenario, India would qualify based on a better net run rate.
The tournament has now entered its final and most exciting phase. The upsets in the group stage have proven that it is difficult to predict anything in T20 cricket until the last ball. It will be interesting to see which two teams advance from Group A.
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