India became the first team to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Thursday as they earned a nail-biting four-run win over New Zealand. A quickfire 46 from teenage prodigy Shafali Verma and superb bowling from the spinners ensured India maintained their unbeaten streak, despite a batting collapse.
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine won the toss at Melbourne’s Junction Oval and opted to bowl with her team restricting India to 133/8 after Verma gave them a strong start, with three sixes and four fours off her 34 balls. The four-pronged spin attack then restricted the storied New Zealand top order with regular wickets.
Also read: Women’s T20 World Cup points table after India’s win against New Zealand
A swashbuckling late charge by Amelia Kerr gave the White Ferns some hope, but a sharp final over from Shikha Pandey left them at 129/6.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to India’s semi-final charge:
Wah bhai Wah ! Great effort by the girls to hold on to their nerves and beat New Zealand and qualify for the semi finals of the #T20WorldCup
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 27, 2020
Shafali Varma is a rockstar. Anand aa raha hai ladkiyon ka performance dekhne mein. pic.twitter.com/euq2368NTF
2018: Semi-finals
— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2020
2020: ?
How far can India go this #T20WorldCup ? pic.twitter.com/6i8qClm6hO
India have become the first team to qualify for the semifinal. This will be India’s fourth semifinal appearance in Women’s World T20.#INDWvNZW
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) February 27, 2020
The spinners have been sensational and Shafali Varma is giving India just the starts the team needs. If the tracks continue to be like this, India have a very good chance of going the distance. #T20WorldCup
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 27, 2020
Shafali Verma the star
India, you have a teenage ⭐️ and she’s taken your team to the semis. #T20WorldCup #IndiaRising https://t.co/EAX9iFTsjH
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) February 27, 2020
Very modest from Shafali when she says that she waits for the loose balls. The way she bats, every ball seems like a loosener. Most sixes, highest SR and joint most runs in the #T20WorldCup.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 27, 2020
All of this at just 16! #SpecialTalent
Wish her and #TeamIndia good luck!#INDWvNZW
Shafali Verma in this tournament so far:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) February 27, 2020
v AUS W : 29 off 15 balls @ 193.33
v BAN W : 39 off 17 balls @ 229.41
v NZ W : 46 off 34 balls @ 135.29 #INDWvNZW
😎🇮🇳 Thanks for the love, @TheShafaliVerma ❤️#shafaliverma #bharatarmy #t20worldcup #teamindia #whiteferns #womenscricket #indiancricketteam #australia #indiancricket #lovecricket #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ #INDWvNZW #INDWvsNZW pic.twitter.com/xXAbxaGtuz
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) February 27, 2020
No player has ever scored more runs at a higher strike rate at a single Women's #T20WorldCup than Shafali Verma in 2020 (114 runs at 172.72)
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 27, 2020
Superstar 🤩#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/l9SWDWUP5c
A word on the other players
Poonam Yadav in #T20WorldCup
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 27, 2020
4-0-19-4
4-0-18-3
4-0-32-1
18 runs scored by Kerr in the final over and this is the first time Poonam went more than 20 runs in her spell. #INDWvNZW
Deepti Sharma dismissed Suzie Bates, the Women's T20 World Cup's all-time leading run scorer - for just 6 runs.
— Kausthub (@kaustats) February 27, 2020
This is the first time Bates was out for a single digit score in her last 15 T20 World Cup innings (last time was in 2014).#INDWvNZW #stats
👉 14 off 9 with the bat
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 27, 2020
👉 1/25 with the ball
👉 2 catches in the field
Not a bad first game of the #T20WorldCup for Radha Yadav 👏#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/O5o0Wl8dHI
Experience shows. Shikha Pandey shows why she’s such a valued member of this team. Two superb yorkers. #T20WorldCup
— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) February 27, 2020
New Zealand came close
New Zealand will be gutted but my goodness - what an incredible effort from Amelia Kerr to take it right down to the wire! Future Kiwi captain right there 🇳🇿 #T20WorldCup
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) February 27, 2020
Good game, but NZ will be kicking themselves... dropped catches, top 3 not firing when it matters... did superbly at the end to even keep it close. India fielding excellent.
— Charles Dagnall (@CharlesDagnall) February 27, 2020
Amelia Kerr you beauty. You are rightly gutted but you've shown what you are. Champion stuff that, you should be the POTM today. Another case of almost this, but one that was special.#INDvNZ #indvsnzt20 #T20WorldCup #nzvsind #NZvIND #indvsNz
— Vimarsh Munsif (@VimarshMunsif) February 27, 2020