Monday, November 18, 2024

Women’s T20 World Cup results: England knocked out by West Indies, who reach semi-finals

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Coming into the game, England were full of confidence after three comfortable wins over Bangladesh, South Africa and Scotland, knowing that a win by any margin would be enough to see them through.

But, the tournament’s format is unforgiving and one slip can cost you – they may have only lost one game, but so had their opponents, and they were not ruthless enough.

The pressure of a must-win game seemed to strike early with a stuttering powerplay of 34-2, with both Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey falling early.

Wyatt-Hodge fell for 16, while Capsey was horrendously run out after a dreadful call from Bouchier, who was then dismissed by spinner Afy Fletcher the first ball after the powerplay.

But Knight and Sciver-Brunt leant on all their experience to steady England with careful strike rotation and simple punishment of the bad balls, with West Indies too regularly offering width for them to punish.

The turning point came in the 13th over when the pair set off for a comfortable single but Knight pulled up hobbling, eventually having to be helped off the field just as the partnership was turning dangerous on 46 from six overs.

From there, England folded with only Sciver-Brunt holding them together. Amy Jones fell softly for seven by chipping a catch to point, Charlie Dean was unusually promoted to six and was dreadfully dropped first ball before departing for a skittish five while both Danielle Gibson and Sophie Ecclestone went for seven.

Sciver-Brunt displayed her usual calm characteristics and her impressive fitness levels to keep getting back on strike. She then had to take over the captaincy duties in the field, where things continued to unravel.

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