.png)
5 hours ago
8
Key events
A hellish three hours await for South Africa. The Proteas beat Bangladesh in the first leg of today’s double-header at Lord’s. And now will sit and watch hoping that Australia will get the job done to send the Saffas through to the semis.
“Australia have this in the bag,” is the word from Laura Wolvaardt in her post-match presser.
Australia’s Nicola Carey: “Everyone’s contributed. Huge game against India. The crowd gets right behind them. No doubt about an India heavy crowd.”
An early confession. I did a lie to you earlier. I said a narrow defeat for India can still they them go through. Categorically false.
India are on six points. South Africa are on eight. So a defeat for India obviously still leaves them on fewer points than the Proteas. Not my finest mathematical moment.
Australia XI
Australia: Beth Mooney (+), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (c), Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton
India XI
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (+), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh
Changes for both sides.
Just the one for India as Kranti Gaud come back for Nandani Sharma.
And a big change for Australia, as Alana King misses out and is replaced by Phoebe Litchfield.
India win the toss and bat
Harmanpreet Kaur calls correctly and chooses to have a bat.
“Today’s the game just to enjoy ourselves,” is the message from the Indian skipper.
Sophie Molineux says if she’d won the toss Australia would have had a bowl anyway. So everyone’s happy.
Slightly delayed toss here at Lord’s after the South Africa and Bangladesh game went down to the wire. Will have news with you as soon as we get it. Sun’s out. I’d have a bat.
Attention switches to the main event now. Australia are four from four and been dominant throughout. Their margins of victory have been 65 runs, nine wickets, 98 runs and 113 runs so far this comp. So they’ve gone alright…
India have had three comfortable victories, but lost in a thriller to South Africa.
South Africa’s net-run-rate is 0.633. India’s is 2.268. So there’s even a world where a narrow defeat for India today will still be enough to go through. I’ll the need the assistance of some scientists to understand what that means in runs and wickets though.
South Africa win by four wickets!
Turns out it was as simple as that. Two balls were all that were required for South Africa to get the five runs needed. Chloe Tryon edges the first ball for four and then lifts the following delivery over cover for a single. It wasn’t pretty, but the job’s done.
Over to you India…
19th over: Right. Five off the last needed. We’re at Lord’s. A tie is a Super Over and Ian Smith is in the commentary box. Surely it’s written.
Here we go…
WICKET! de Klerk c Shorna b Ritu 15 (New Zealand 113-6)
Well, well, well. What a fantastic catch in the deep! South Africa six down needing five off eight. Job not done.
Why not…let’s have two bonus overs of OBO to take this match home. If you do want to get in contact, email me here.
Crucially, for this match to carry any jeopardy, South Africa must get the job done against Bangladesh.
SA currently need 10 runs from the final two overs at Lord’s – and it is nervy. Five wickets down. Will keep you up-to-date right through to the end.
Preamble
Welcome one, welcome all to the final group stage game of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
On the line? Well. For Australia not much. They’re as good as through barring a catastrophic defeat of historic proportions. But for India, this is basically quarter-final. Win and they’re through to the semis. Lose…and well, assuming South Africa get the job done over Bangladesh where at the time of typing they need 26 runs off the final four overs, it’ll be home time.
Join us for all the fun. Kick-off is 2.30pm (BST). Toss and team news will be at 2.00pm.
