Women’s T20 World Cup: India meet England with semis spot on line (preview)

Gqeberha (South Africa), Feb 17

With a spot in the semifinals in line, India take on England in a crucial match in Group 2 of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the winner inching closer to the last-four stage.

England and India are unbeaten after two games apiece and are both in a strong position to go through from Group 2 as things stand. But none of the teams is guaranteed a semifinal spot just yet and no team is completely out of qualification contention either, with some huge games looming on the horizon.

India and England will meet in the afternoon match at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Saturday in a fixture that will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the group.

Whoever wins the meeting between these two teams - ranked fourth and second in the world respectively - will effectively be through to the semi-finals with a game to play.

A loss would bring the prospect of a group exit into play, with India facing Ireland and England playing Pakistan in their fourth and final group matches.

Whoever wins the meeting between these two teams -- ranked fourth and second in the world respectively - will effectively be through to the semi-finals with a game to play.

A loss would bring the prospect of a group exit into play, with India facing Ireland and England playing Pakistan in their fourth and final group matches.

India have so far won both their matches, beating archrivals Pakistan by seven wickets and West Indies by six wickets. England got the better of West Indies by seven wickets and neighbours Ireland by four wickets.

Though India are unbeaten in two matches, the team's performance has not been as perfect as they would have liked.

The top order has failed to fire and it was efforts by the middle and lower middle order that saved India in both matches. Jemimah Rodrigues and Richal Ghosh did it against Pakistan. Richa Ghosh was at it once again in the match against West Indies she scored 44 not out and found a great partner in skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (33).

In the bowling department, all-rounder Deepti Sharma and Rupa Yadav have bowled well in both matches while pacers Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar also did well.

But England is a tougher opponent than Pakistan and West Indies and therefore Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates will have to be at their best in their next match.

India will be hoping for better efforts from openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana and another strong performance from their bowlers in Saturday's match.

--IANS