Nail-Biting Finish: India Falls Short Against Australia

India lost to Australia by nine runs in their last group match of the women's T20 World Cup, putting their semifinal hopes in jeopardy. Chasing 152, India scored 142 with Harmanpreet Kaur top-scoring at 54 not out. Australia topped the group, securing a spot in the semifinals.

In a gripping encounter on Sunday, India fell just short of victory against defending champions Australia, losing by nine runs in their final group match of the women's T20 World Cup. The result leaves India in a precarious position regarding their semifinal hopes.

India's chase of a 152-run target ended at 142 for 9, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur remaining unbeaten at 54 off 47 balls. Contributions came from Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma with 29 and 20 runs, respectively. With this loss, India concluded their Group A matches with four points, equating to two wins and two losses.

Australia, leading the group with an unblemished record of four wins, advanced to the semifinals. Meanwhile, New Zealand, also on four points, must secure a win against Pakistan to advance further. Earlier, Australia, opting to bat, managed a score of 151 for 8, with Grace Harris leading at 40. India's Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma claimed two wickets each in their bowling innings.

(With inputs from agencies.)