India are set to take on Australia in their final group game at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on October 13. Australia are all but through to the semi-finals but the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has its fate hanging on its own hands. Apart from these two teams, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan form the Group A. The top two sides will make it to the knockouts. Sri Lanka are already eliminated from the tournament after losing their first three matches but the rest four teams are still in contention for two semi-final spots from the group.

Here is how India can make it to the semi-finals –

Scnenario 1: India beat Australia by a huge margin

India need to beat Australia by such a massive margin in the game that their Net Run Rate goes past that of the six-time champions. Such a case will confirm India of a semi-final entry with 6 points.

Scnenario 2: India beat Australia by a small margin

If India beat Australia but fail to surpass their NRR, they would need New Zealand to either lose one of their matches. If New Zealand win both their games, India would need both of New Zealand’s victories to come by such small margins that the White Ferns’ NRR remains less than that of Harmanpreet Kaur and co.

Scnenario 3: India vs Australia gets abandoned

In this case, India will reach to 5 points while Australia will make it to the semi-finals with 7 points to their credit. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side would then want New Zealand to lose one of its remaining two matches. If the White Ferns win a game and their other match gets abandoned, India’s NRR needs to be more than that of New Zealand to enter the semi-finals.

Scenario 4: India lose to Australia

If India lose to Australia, the latter team will advance to the semi-finals. In this case, the Harmanpreet-led side would want New Zealand to lose to Sri Lanka by a huge margin, and then beat Pakistan by a small gap. Such a case will see India advance to the semi-final on the basis of a better NRR than New Zealand’s.

Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma recently revealed that wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant came up with a brilliant ploy that disrupted South Africa’s rhythm during the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The match was headed towards a close finish with South Africa needing 30 runs off 30 balls and it looked like India will need something to turn the momentum in their favour. Pant stopped the game as he had a knee injury and the physio came inside the ground to tap up his knee. Rohit claimed that the whole incident helped slow down the game and India went on to clinch the title with a brilliant win. Pant broke silence on Rohit’s claim and said that he asked the physio to take his time on the field.

“I was thinking about this. Because suddenly the momentum shifted. There were a lot of runs in 2-3 overs. So, I was thinking, when will this moment come again when you are playing in a World Cup final. So, I was telling the physio, that you take your time, keep wasting the time.”

RISHABH PANT – THE MOMENTUM BREAKER…!!!

Pant narrated the story behind his injury during the T20 World Cup final when SA needed 26 from 24. [Star Sports] pic.twitter.com/7AeyHAnzdF

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 12, 2024

“He was asking me if I was okay. I told him I’m just acting. Sometimes in such a match situation, I am not saying that it works every time, But sometimes it works. And if it works in such a moment, you want nothing else,” Rishabh Pant said in the viral video.

Earlier, Rohit recalled the entire incident during an episode of ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’.

“When South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls, just before that, there was a small break. Pant used his intelligence to pause the game – he had a knee injury, so he had his knee taped, which helped slow down the game – because the game was fast-paced, and at that moment, all a batter wants is the ball to be bowled quickly. But we had to break the rhythm. As I was setting the field and talking to bowlers, suddenly I saw Pant fall on the ground. The physiotherapist had arrived and was taping his knee. Klassen was waiting for the match to start again. I am not saying it’s the only reason, but it could be one of them – Pant Sahab used his smarts and things worked out in our favour,” he said.