ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier: Day 5: Report. The final day of the league stage in the global qualifiers was all set to be an exciting contest. Sri Lanka and Ireland had already secured a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament. A total of four teams, Scotland, Thailand, UAE, and the Netherlands were in contention for a couple of spots that were available to progress to the knockout stages of the tournament.

Match 17: Group A: Thailand Vs Scotland (Tolerance Oval)

Skipper Kathryn Bryce leads from the front to take Scotland into the Semi-Final

Thailand skipper Naruemol Chaiwai won the toss and opted to bat first against Scotland, in what was a must-win encounter for both these sides. The Thailand openers Nattaya Boochatham and wicket-keeper batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai got off to a positive start, scoring at almost a run-a-ball. Rachel Slater cleaned up Nattaya Boochatham in the 5th over of the innings to provide the first breakthrough for Scotland.

Wicket-keeper batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai soon followed her back to the pavilion to provide the 2nd breakthrough for Scotland. Chanida Sutthiruang joined skipper Naruemol Chaiwai at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 17-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before Hannah Rainley cleaned up Chanida Sutthiruang to provide the 3rd breakthrough for her side.

Thailand eventually ended up with a total of 99/5 in their quota of overs. The 24-run 6th wicket partnership between skipper Naruemol Chaiwai and Suwanan Khiaoto was one of the substantial partnerships of the innings taking them closer to the 100-run mark. Skipper Naruemol Chaiwai (36 off 47 balls), Nattaya Boochatham (13 off 17 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Thailand. Abtaha Maqsood (4-0-15-2), Katherine Fraser (4-0-15-0), Hannah Rainey (3-0-12-2), and Rachel Slater (4-0-34-1) were the top performers with the ball for Scotland.

Chasing a target of 100, Scotland got off to a poor start as they lost both their openers inside the powerplay. Chanida Sutthiruang provided both breakthroughs for Thailand. Wicket-keeper batter Sarah Bryce joined skipper Kathryn Bryce at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 46-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before Onnicha Kamchomphu cleaned up wicket-keeper batter Sarah Bryce to provide the 3rd breakthrough for her side.

Scotland eventually managed to get over the line with six wickets in hand and 13 balls to spare. Skipper Kathryn Bryce (63 off 58 balls), wicket-keeper batter Sarah Bryce (13 off 19 balls), and Priyanaz Chatterji (12 off 14 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Scotland. Chanida Sutthiruang (4-0-18-2), Onnicha Kamchomphu (4-0-33-2), Suleeporn Laomi (2.5-0-9-0), and Nattaya Boochatham (3-0-10-0) were the top performers with the ball for Thailand.

Skipper Kathryn Bryce was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational match-winning performance (63 off 58 balls) with the bat. She stayed unbeaten and played a crucial role in helping her side progress to the semi-final. They will now face Ireland in the 1st semi-final on 5th May 2024.

Match 18: Group B: UAE Vs Vanuatu (Abu Dhabi)

Theertha Satish, skipper Esha Oza, and Samaira Dharnidharka power UAE into the semi-final with a thumping 70-run victory against Vanuatu

The Vanuatu skipper Selina Solman won the toss and opted to field first. After being inserted to bat first, the UAE openers skipper Esha Oza and wicket-keeper batter Theertha Satish got off to a good start, scoring over seven runs an over. Rachel Andrew picked up the big wicket of the opposition skipper Esha Oza to provide the first breakthrough for Vanuatu. She also went on to dismiss Khushi Sharma in the same over to land a double blow to the opposition in the 7th over of the innings.

Kavisha Egodage joined wicket-keeper batter Theertha Satish at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 31-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before Vanessa Vira picked up the wicket of Kavisha Egodage to provide the 3rd breakthrough for her side. Heena Hotchandani joined wicket-keeper batter Theertha Satish at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 31-run partnership for the 4th wicket before Nasimana Navaika cleaned up Heena Hotchandani to provide the 4th breakthrough for her side.

UAE eventually ended up with a total of 133/7 in their quota of overs. Wicket-keeper batter Theertha Satish (44 off 42 balls), skipper Esha Oza (29 off 21 balls), and Kavisha Egodage (17 off 21 balls) were the top performers with the bat for UAE. Nasimana Navaika (4-0-21-3), Rachel Andrew (4-0-17-2), and Vanessa Vira (4-0-32-1) were the top performers with the ball for Vanuatu.

Chasing a target of 134, Vanuatu got off to a horrible start, losing half of their side for just 15 runs in the 7th over of the run chase. Samaira Dharnidharka triggered the collapse as she accounted for four of the first five wickets. Maiyllise Carlot joined Alvina Chilia at the crease and the duo stitched a much-needed 13-run partnership for the 6th wicket before Heena Hotchandani picked up the wicket of Alvina Chilia to provide the 6th breakthrough for UAE.

Vanuatu were eventually restricted to 63/8 in their quota of overs. The 26-run 9th wicket partnership between Vanessa Vira and Gillian Chilia took them past the 50-run mark. However, that wasn’t enough for them as they fell short of the target by 70 runs. Gillian Chilia (21 off 29 balls), and skipper Selina Solman (10 off 10 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Vanuatu.

Samaira Dharnidharka (4-0-12-4), Khushi Sharma (4-2-3-1), Heena Hotchandani (4-0-10-2), and skipper Esha Oza (3-0-14-1) were the top performers with the ball for UAE. Samaira Dharnidharka was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational spell (4-0-12-4) with the ball. She played a pivotal role in helping her side progress to the semi-final with a 70-run victory against Vanuatu. They will face Sri Lanka in the 2nd semi-final.

Match 19: Group A: Sri Lanka Vs USA (Tolerance Oval)

Skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Udeshika Prabodhani hold their nerve as Sri Lanka clinch an 18-run victory against the USA

The Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to bat first. Sri Lanka got off to a poor start as they lost the wicket of their skipper in the first over of the innings. Geetika Kodali provided a massive breakthrough for the USA. Harshitha Samarawickrama joined Vishmi Gunaratne at the crease and the duo led the recovery for Sri Lanka with a 49-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before Saanvi Immadi picked up the wicket of Vishmi Gunaratne to provide the 2nd breakthrough for her side.

Harshitha Samarawickrama soon followed her back to the pavilion to provide the 3rd breakthrough for the USA. Nilakshika Silva joined Hansima Karunaratne at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 43-run partnership for the 4th wicket before Nilakshika Silva was found short of her crease to provide the 4th breakthrough for the USA. Sri Lanka eventually ended up with a total of 123/4 in their quota of overs.

Vishmi Gunaratne (25 off 22 balls), Hansima Karunaratne (25 off 27 balls), Harshitha Samarawickrama (23 off 31 balls), and Nilakshika Silva (21 off 29 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Sri Lanka. Saanvi Immadi (4-0-14-1), Aditiba Chudasama (4-0-22-1), and Geetika Kodali (4-0-29-1) were the top performers with the ball for the USA.

Chasing a target of 124, the USA got off to a poor start as they lost the wicket of Anika Kolan in the 5th over of the run chase. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu provided the first breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Skipper Sindhu Sriharsha joined Disha Dhingra at the crease and the duo stitched a much-needed 52-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before Inoka Ranaweera picked up the wicket of Disha Dhingra to provide the 2nd breakthrough for her side.

USA lost a couple of wickets in quick succession and found themselves in a tricky position at 68/4 in the 15th over of the run chase. Pooja Shah joined Pooja Ganesh at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 19-run partnership for the 5th wicket before Udeshika Prabodhani cleaned up Pooja Ganesh to provide the 5th breakthrough for her side.

The USA were eventually restricted to a total of 105/6 in their quota of overs. They fell short of the target by 18 runs. Disha Dhingra (28 off 29 balls), skipper Sindhu Sriharsha (27 off 31 balls), and Pooja Shah (20 off 15 balls) were the top performers with the bat for the USA. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu (4-0-14-3), Udeshika Prabodhani (4-0-13-1), and Inoshika Ranaweera (3-0-20-1) were the top performers with the ball for Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu was awarded the Player of the Match for her brilliant match-winning spell (4-0-14-3) with the ball. She and Udeshika Prabodhani held their nerve towards the end to survive a spirited fightback from the USA batters as Sri Lanka eventually clinched the game by 18 runs.

Match 20: Group B: Ireland Vs Netherlands (Abu Dhabi)

Skipper Laura Delany’s all-round show knocks the Netherlands out of the final race

Ireland skipper Laura Delany won the toss and opted to bat first. Ireland got off to a poor start as they lost both their openers inside the first three overs of the innings. Iris Zwilling provided both breakthroughs for the Netherlands. Skipper Laura Delany joined Orla Prendergast at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 38-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before Caroline de Lange picked up the wicket of Orla Prendergast to provide the 3rd breakthrough for the Netherlands.

Ireland eventually ended up with a total of 144/4 in their quota of overs. The 89-run 5th wicket partnership between Eimear Richardson and skipper Laura Delany took them to a competitive total on the board. Skipper Laura Delany (70 off 45 balls) and Eimear Richardson (34 off 32 balls) stayed unbeaten and were the top performers with the bat alongside Orla Prendergast (19 off 28 balls) for Ireland. Iris Zwilling (4-0-13-2), Silver Siegers (4-1-21-1), and Caroline de Lange (4-0-29-1) were the top performers with the ball for the Netherlands.

Chasing a target of 145, the Netherlands openers Iris Zwilling and Sterre Kalis got off to a good start, scoring at a run-a-ball. Orla Prendergast picked up the wicket of Iris Zwilling in the 4th over of the run chase to provide the 1st breakthrough for Ireland. The Netherlands lost a couple of wickets in quick succession and found themselves at 29/3 inside the powerplay.

Skipper Heather Siegers joined wicket-keeper batter Babette de Leede at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 31-run partnership for the 4th wicket before Arlene Kelly picked up the big wicket of the opposition skipper Heather Siegers to provide the 4th breakthrough for her side. The Netherlands were eventually bundled out for 90 with 15 balls to spare. The Netherlands suffered a horrible collapse as they lost their last six wickets for just 30 runs. The Netherlands fell 54 runs short of the target.

Wicket-keeper batter Babette de Leede (20 off 21 balls), skipper Heather Siegers (16 off 18 balls), and Iris Zwilling (14 off 17 balls) were the top performers with the bat for the Netherlands. Orla Prendergast (4-0-26-3), skipper Laura Delany (2-0-6-3), and Arlene Kelly (3-0-9-2) were the top performers with the ball for Ireland.

Skipper Laura Delany was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational all-round performance, scoring an unbeaten (70* off 45 balls), with the bat and returning with match figures (2-0-6-3) with the ball. She played a pivotal role in helping her side clinch a comprehensive 54-run victory against the Netherlands. The Netherlands were knocked out courtesy of their defeat. Ireland will now face Scotland in the first semi-final.

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