Women’s World Cup T20: Australia crush Pakistan by 113 runs, move closer to semi-finals

NEW DELHI: Australia continued their unbeaten run in the Women’s Under-20 World Cup with a 113-run win over Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday. However, despite winning all four matches so far, Australia has yet to secure a place in the semi-finals.South Africa and India can still finish with four wins apiece, leaving the race wide open. Australia, who have never reached the semi-finals of the tournament, take on India in their final group stage match at a sold-out Lord’s on Sunday.Elsewhere, defending champions New Zealand and Sri Lanka kept their semi-final hopes alive with victories in Bristol. New Zealand beat Scotland by six wickets while Sri Lanka beat Ireland by nine wickets.Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu made a memorable unbeaten 106 to become only the eighth player to score a century in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Her knock came just two days after she described herself as a “failure as a captain” following Sri Lanka’s loss to the West Indies.Perry stars as AustraliaAustralia recovered from the loss of Beth Mooney on the very first ball to post 199/7. Ellyse Perry and Georgia Voll led the charge with a 100-run partnership that came in just 56 balls.Voll scored 39 while Perry made 71 off 48 deliveries. Useful contributions from Annabel Sutherland (27) and Nicola Carey (26) helped Australia finish.Pakistan never recovered in their chase and were bowled out for 86 in the 14th over. Three run-outs damaged their cause, with top scorer Muneeba Ali top scoring with 32.Perry picked up two wickets in it, while captain Sophie Molineux and Sutherland bagged two each. Georgia Wareham also impressed, taking a wicket and bowling 11 runs in her two overs.“We’ve got the options, we’ve got the depth, we’re in a good position in that space,” Molineux said. “We’re always reviewing our games and there are things we want to check off, and even though we had a couple of strong wins, I don’t think we checked everything off.Athapaththu rules Sri LankaAthapaththu, playing in her 10th T20 World Cup, responded brilliantly after a disappointing start to the tournament.Facing Ireland, she attacked from the start and reached her fifty in 32 balls. She then stepped up to score her maiden World Cup century and fourth T20 hundred overall. Her innings included 76 runs in boundaries.The Sri Lankan captain finished unbeaten on 106 and scored the winning runs as Sri Lanka chased down the target with 4.3 overs to spare.“I got out early in the last game. I was disappointed but today we won and that’s what matters to me as a player and as a captain,” Athapaththu said. “I just played my natural game, I always attack. I tried to do my best.”Still searching for their first ever Women’s World T20 win, Ireland recovered from an early collapse thanks to captain Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul. Lewis scored 59 off 50 balls before Athapaththu was dismissed.Sharp and Halliday save New ZealandNew Zealand survived an early scare to beat Scotland by six wickets.The White Ferns were struggling at 26/3 when Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday came together for a 101-run winning partnership. Sharp led the recovery with a career-best 62 from 43 balls, while Halliday remained unbeaten on 41 as New Zealand reached 132/4 with 10 balls remaining.New Zealand captain Melie Kerr praised Sharp after the win.“It has the potential to be one of New Zealand’s best ever and the best in the world.”Earlier it looked like Scotland would be set for a bigger total after an aggressive start from opener Darcey Carter. Carter scored an unbeaten 72 but the New Zealand bowlers pulled things back in the final overs.Sophie Devine struck twice in one over as Kerr finished with figures of 3/17, including a double-wicket maiden in the 19th over, as Scotland finished on 131/7.New Zealand’s chase got off to a shaky start but Sharp and Halliday leveled the innings before stepping up late on to secure an important victory.The tournament continues on Wednesday when the unbeaten England side take on the unbeaten West Indies.