NEW DELHI: Australia continued their unbeaten run in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a 113-run win over Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday. However, despite winning all four matches so far, Australia are yet to secure a place in the semi-finals.South Africa and India can still finish with four wins each, keeping the race open. Australia, who have never missed out on reaching the semi-finals of the tournament, will play India in their final group stage match at a sold-out Lord’s on Sunday.Elsewhere, defending champions New Zealand and Sri Lanka kept their semi-final hopes alive with wins in Bristol. New Zealand beat Scotland by six wickets, while Sri Lanka beat Ireland by nine wickets.Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a memorable unbeaten 106, becoming only the eighth player to score a century in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Her blow came just two days after she described herself as “a failure as a captain” following Sri Lanka’s loss to the West Indies.Perry stars as Australia dominatesAustralia recovered from the loss of Beth Mooney from the first ball to post 199/7. Ellyse Perry and Georgia Voll led the charge with a 100-run partnership that came in just 56 balls.Voll scored 39, while Perry made 71 from 48 deliveries. Useful contributions from Annabel Sutherland (27) and Nicola Carey (26) helped Australia finish strongly.Pakistan never recovered in their chase and were bowled out for 86 in the 14th over. Three run-outs hurt their cause, with opener Muneeba Ali top-scoring with 32.Perry took two wickets in her single, while captain Sophie Molineux and Sutherland claimed two wickets each. Georgia Wareham also impressed, taking a wicket and bowling 11 dot balls in her two overs.“We have options, we have depth, we are in a good position in that area,” Molineux said. “We always review our games and there are things we want to pick up, and even though we had a couple of strong wins, I don’t think we scored everything.”Athapaththu power Sri LankaAthapaththu, playing in his 10th T20 World Cup, responded brilliantly after a disappointing start to the tournament.Against Ireland, he attacked from the start and reached his fifty in 32 balls. He then accelerated further to register his first World Cup century and fourth T20 hundred overall. His innings included 76 runs in boundaries.The Sri Lankan skipper finished unbeaten on 106 and scored the winning runs as Sri Lanka chased down the target with 4.3 overs to spare.“I went out before the last game. I was disappointed about that, but we won today and that’s what matters to me as a player, as a captain,” said Athapaththu. “I just played my natural game, I always attacked. I tried my best to do my best.”Ireland, still looking for their first Women’s T20 World Cup win, bounced back from an early collapse thanks to captain Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul. Lewis scored 59 from 50 balls before being dismissed by Athapaththu.Sharp and Halliday save New ZealandNew Zealand survived an early scare before defeating Scotland by six wickets.The White Ferns were struggling at 26/3 when Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday combined for a match-winning partnership of 101 runs. Sharp led the recovery with a career-best 62 off 43 balls, while Halliday remained unbeaten on 41 as New Zealand reached 132/4 with 10 balls remaining.New Zealand captain Melie Kerr praised Sharp after the win.“It has the potential to be one of the best in New Zealand and the best in the world.”Early on, Scotland looked set for a bigger total after Darcey Carter’s aggressive start. Carter scored an unbeaten 72 but the New Zealand bowlers pulled things together in the final overs.Sophie Devine struck twice in one over, while Kerr finished with figures of 3/17, including a maiden double-wicket haul in the 19th over, as Scotland finished on 131/7.New Zealand’s chase got off to a shaky start, but Sharp and Halliday settled the innings before accelerating late on to secure an important win.The tournament continues on Wednesday with an unbeaten English team taking on an unbeaten West Indies team.
