GQEBERHA: A career-best five-wicket performance by Indian opening bowler Renuka Thakur was not enough to stop England’s march towards the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup at St George’s Park in Gqeb­erha on Saturday.

England won a top-of-the-table Group 2 contest by 11 runs, handing India their first defeat of the tournament.

Thakur took wickets in each of her three overs in the powerplay and claimed two more in the final over of the innings to finish with five for 15 in seamer-friendly conditions.

But Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones scored freely during most of the rest of the innings as England posted 151 for seven. India replied with 140 for five.

Sciver-Brunt hit 50 off 42 balls and Jones made 40 off 27 deliveries.

Smriti Mandhana (52 off 41) gave India a strong start when she hit four boundaries off Katherine Sciver-Brunt in the third over of the Indian innings.

But India struggled to maintain the required run-rate against steady English bow­ling. Richa Ghosh struck 47 not out off 34 balls, but it was not enough to change the outcome.

England, who play Pakistan in their final group match in Cape Town on Tuesday, are virtually certain to qualify for the semi-finals.

FIRST WIN FOR WI

On Friday, West Indian captain Hayley Matthews guided her team to their first win in the global event when they beat Ireland by six wickets with one ball to spare at Newlands in Cape Town.

Opening batter Matth­ews made 66 not out and enabled the West Indies to chase down an Irish total of 137 for nine — the highest for the country at a T20 World Cup.

The win ended a sequ­ence of 15 successive T20 International defeats by the West Indies.

Irish all-rounder Orla Prendergast struck six fours and a six in her 47-ball 61. Prendergast shared a second-wicket partnership of 90 with Gaby Lewis (38).

West Indies face Pakistan in Paarl in their final group match on Sunday while Ireland, who are eliminated, conclude with India in Gqeberha on Monday.

Summarised scores:

England bt India by 11 runs.

ENGLAND 151-7 in 20 overs (N. Sciver-Brunt 50, A. Jones 40; R. Thakur 5-15); INDIA 140-5 in 20 overs (S. Mandhana 52, R Ghosh 47 not out; S. Glenn 2-27)

West Indies bt Ireland by six wickets.

IRELAND 137-9 in 20 overs (G. Lewis 38, O. Prendergast 61; S. Connell 3-24, K. Ramharack 2-18, A. Fletcher 2-21); WEST INDIES 140-4 in 19.5 overs (H. Matthews 66 not out, C. Henry 34).

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023