India Women have had a rocky time at the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in England. Placed in Group A, the Women in Blue had a good start to the tournament,
beating arch-rivals Pakistan and the Netherlands convincingly, but suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa. This has put their qualification chances in limbo, though there is still a realistic chance for the side to qualify for the knockout stages.
At the time of writing, India are second in the points standings with four points and a healthy net run rate of 2.511. They have two group matches to go, against Bangladesh on Thursday, before taking on the unbeaten Australian side in their last game on Sunday.
Here are the three scenarios where India can still qualify for the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup:
- If India wins both of their remaining matches against Bangladesh and Australia, they have a chance to qualify for the last four, should the Aussies and South Africa lose at least one of their remaining matches.
- If the 2025 Women's World Cup winners beat Bangladesh but lose to Australia, they will finish on six points. In this scenario, India will require South Africa to lose one match, tying them both on six points, with the Asian outfit qualifying thanks to better net run rate.
- If India and South Africa win their two matches in hand and Australia beat Pakistan, all three sides will be locked on eight points each. The qualification will then come down to net run rate, where India's 2.511 and Australia's 4.724 are much superior to the Proteas' -0.546.
Who will India face in the semi-finals if they qualify?
Based on the tournament's format, the sides finishing top will take on the runners-up from the other group in the semi-finals. Both knockout matches of the tournament are set to take place at the iconic Oval Ground in South London on June 30 and July 2.
If India qualify for the last four of the Women's T20 World Cup, they will play Semi-Final 1 on June 30. As things stand, their opponents are not confirmed. However, based on the current standings, the Women in Blue will take on hosts England in their knockout game, who are currently the leaders in Group B.
