Bangladesh finish bottom of Group A after nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka
Tuesday 3 March 2020 07:24, UK
Australia Women reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals yet again after seeing off New Zealand in their winner-takes-all clash in Melbourne.
Meg Lanning's side qualified for at least the last four of the first six T20 World Cups and they made that seven with a four-run victory over their Trans-Tasman rivals at Junction Oval on Monday. SCORECARD
New Zealand reached 81-2 in pursuit of 156 to make the semi-finals for a fifth time - but Australia's nerves were eased when leg-spinner Georgia Wareham (3-17) had Sophie Devine (31) and Maddy Green (28) stumped, having earlier ousted Suzie Bates (14) lbw on review.
Megan Schutt (3-28) then atoned for dropping Green off Nicola Carey in a 16-run, 15th over by dismissing Amelia Kerr (2) and Hayley Jensen (0) from successive deliveries and then removing Anna Peterson (9) in her final over as the White Ferns could muster only 151-7.
Katey Martin (37no off 18) smashed Ashleigh Gardner for four and six from the final two balls of the match to reduce the margin of defeat
Australia finished second in Group A and will now face the winners of Group B, which could yet be England, in Thursday's semi-finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
However, the Southern Stars have injury concerns over Ellyse Perry, with the all-rounder hobbling off midway through New Zealand's run chase with an apparent hamstring injury.
Perry (21 off 15) and Rachael Haynes (19no off 8) helped Australia plunder 33 runs from their final three overs after top-scorer Beth Mooney (60 off 50) had fallen to Peterson (2-31).
Mooney's half-century was her eighth T20I half-century and second in a row after her unbeaten 81 against Bangladesh in Canberra on Thursday.
In the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in Group A, Sri Lanka thumped Bangladesh by nine wickets to condemn their opponents to bottom spot.
Both sides came into the contest with three defeats from three but it was Sri Lanka who dominated in Melbourne, restricting Bangladesh to 91-8 and reaching their target with 27 balls to spare. SCORECARD
Sri Lanka off-spinner Shashikala Siriwardena bagged 4-16 in her final match before retirement as she moved past 200 international wickets.
Hasini Perera (39no), Chamari Atapattu (30) and Anushka Sanjeewani (16no) were the only batters required in the run chase as Sri Lanka finished fourth in Group A.
Watch more T20 World Cup action live on Sky Sports Cricket on Tuesday, with Pakistan vs Thailand (3.30am) followed by West Indies vs South Africa (7.30am).
