NEW DELHI: Australia continued their unbeaten run in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a commanding 113-run win over Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday. However, despite winning all four of their matches so far, Australia have not yet secured a semifinal spot.South Africa and India can still finish with four wins each, keeping the race open. Australia, who have never failed to reach the semifinals 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 semifinal hopes alive with victories in Bristol. New Zealand beat Scotland by six wickets, while Sri Lanka thrashed Ireland by nine wickets.Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a memorable unbeaten 106, becoming only the eighth player to score a century in Women’s T20 World Cup history. Her knock 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 dominateAustralia recovered from losing Beth Mooney off the very 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 picked up two wickets in her only over, 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’ve got options, we’ve got depth, we are in a good position in that space,” Molineux said. “We always review our games and there are things we wanna tick off, and even though we’ve had a couple of strong wins I don’t think we’ve ticked everything off.”Athapaththu powers Sri LankaAthapaththu, playing in her 10th T20 World Cup, responded brilliantly after a disappointing start to the tournament.Facing Ireland, she attacked from the outset and reached her fifty in 32 balls. She then accelerated further to register her first World Cup century and fourth T20 hundred overall. Her innings included 76 runs in boundaries.The Sri Lankan skipper finished unbeaten on 106 and struck the winning runs as Sri Lanka chased down the target with 4.3 overs to spare.“I got out early last game. I was disappointed about that but we won today and that’s what matters to me as a player, as a captain,” Athapaththu said. “I just played my natural game, I always attack. I tried my best to do my best.”Ireland, still searching for their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup win, recovered 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 rescue 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 came together for a match-winning 101-run partnership. 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.“She has the potential to be one of New Zealand’s best ever and the best in the world.”Earlier, Scotland looked set for a bigger total after opener Darcey Carter’s aggressive start. Carter scored an unbeaten 72, but New Zealand’s bowlers pulled things back in the closing overs.Sophie Devine struck twice in one over, while Kerr finished with figures of 3/17, including a double-wicket maiden in the 19th over, as Scotland ended on 131/7.New Zealand’s chase got off to a shaky start, but Sharp and Halliday steadied the innings before accelerating late to secure an important victory.The tournament continues on Wednesday with an unbeaten England side taking on an unbeaten West Indies team.
