New Zealand's Victory Opens Up Women's T20 World Cup Semi-Final Race

New Zealand's emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Saturday has thrown the race for the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals wide open. The White Ferns' dominant performance has set up a thrilling two-horse race with India for the second semi-final spot from Group A.

Sri Lanka's hopes of advancing were extinguished with their fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them with zero points in the group. New Zealand, on the other hand, now has four points, level with India, but trails on net run rate.

The White Ferns' victory was built on a solid bowling performance that restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 115-5. Spinners Amelia Kerr and Leigh Kasperek were the stars, claiming two wickets each.

In response, New Zealand's openers got off to a strong start, with Georgia Plimmer anchoring the chase with a composed 53 off 44 balls. Plimmer's dismissal in the 15th over brought skipper Sophie Devine and Kerr to the crease, who guided the team home with an unbeaten 34 and 13, respectively.

For Sri Lanka, skipper Chamari Athapaththu top-scored with a gritty 35 off 41 balls. However, the team's batting lineup struggled to find consistency against New Zealand's disciplined bowling attack.

The race for the second semi-final spot from Group A is now poised for a thrilling finish. India, who face table-toppers Australia in their final group game, cannot afford another loss. They must beat Australia and hope that Pakistan either defeats New Zealand or makes things difficult for them.

Pakistan, despite their three defeats, are not entirely out of contention. If they can beat New Zealand by a significant margin, their net run rate could improve dramatically. However, they would need a significant favor from Australia, who are undefeated so far and are virtually assured of a semi-final berth.

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