New Zealand Crush Pakistan to Secure Semi-Final Spot

New Zealand secured a convincing 54-run victory over Pakistan in Dubai, sealing their place in the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals. Pakistan, needing to chase 111 in just 10.4 overs to remain in the knockout race, faltered under the pressure and were bowled out for just 56 in 11.4 overs.

Despite losing five wickets for 28 runs in the powerplay, Pakistan's batters remained aggressive in hopes of achieving their target. However, their bold approach backfired, leading to a collapse.

Earlier, New Zealand struggled against Pakistan's spinners, who restricted the scoring but were let down by their fielders, with eight dropped catches. Suzie Bates, who was dropped twice, top-scored with 28, while three crucial drops in the final over allowed Maddy Green and Izzy Gaze to scramble for nine extra runs.

Although New Zealand's total of 110-6 seemed below-par, their disciplined bowling, coupled with Pakistan's overly aggressive strategy, ensured victory. Leg-spinner Melie Kerr took 3-14, while Eden Carson contributed with 2-7.

This win marks New Zealand’s first appearance in a white-ball semi-final since 2016. Joining six-time champions Australia from Group A, they now await their semi-final opponent, which will be either South Africa, England, or the West Indies.

New Zealand entered the tournament as underdogs, having lost 10 consecutive T20 matches. However, they made a strong statement by beating India in their opening game, and despite a loss to Australia, they maintained momentum with wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Pakistan's performance was marred by missed opportunities in the field, with key catches dropped from Bates, Kerr, Sophie Devine, and Brooke Halliday. Though the dropped chances weren’t fully exploited, they forced Pakistan into a challenging chase that proved too difficult.

Opener Muneeba Ali hit two boundaries in her 15 before being bowled by Lea Tahuhu, who also brilliantly ran out Iram Javed. A risky decision to promote Aliya Riaz to open backfired as she was dismissed without scoring, followed by Sidra Ameen. Captain Fatima Sana's 21 from 23 was the only significant contribution before Kerr and Carson decimated the lower order.

While New Zealand celebrated their win with joy, India, who had hoped for a different outcome, were left disappointed. Despite launching the Women's Premier League in 2023 and nurturing emerging talents like Shreyanka Patil and Arundhati Reddy, India’s campaign fell short. Their journey ended in frustration, as an early loss to New Zealand set them on a path too difficult to recover from, despite wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan.