England are hoping to secure a place in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals when they face the West Indies in Dubai this afternoon.
Heather Knight’s team are unbeaten so far with three wins from three including a 10-wicket hammering of Scotland in their last outing on Sunday. They sit top of the table with a healthy net run rate but know that defeat today will leave them vulnerable to an early exit from the tournament.
For their part, the West Indies reignited their campaign with an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh. They chased down a total of 104 with 43 balls remaining meaning they boosted their own net run rate to +1.708. The result of that means a win over England would be enough to send them through to the next round.
This match is effectively a quarter-final tie and England will be determined to continue their winning run and join Australia and New Zealand in the final four.
Follow all the updates from the Women’s T20 World Cup with out live blog below:
Wicket! Charlie Dean 5 (5) ct. Matthews b. Fletcher – England 104-5 (16.1)
She looks to go over the top and drives a teasing ball from Afy Fletcher into the hands of the West Indies captain. Fletcher has three wickets now.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:23
England 104-4 (16), Dean 5, Sciver-Brunt 39, Matthews 1-23 (3)
England will try to accelerate their scoring with five overs left to go. The middle order hasn’t been tested in this tournament so this is a big challenge for them.
Sciver-Brunt takes a single from the first ball of Hayley Matthews third over before Dean works her away for three from the next two balls to bring up England’s 100.
England still can’t find the boundary though as Sciver-Brunt twice targets the legside gaps. A single for Dean off the last delivery means eight runs come from the over.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:21
England 96-4 (15), Dean 1, Sciver-Brunt 35, Fletcher 2-15 (3)
Charlie Dean comes to the crease for England and dinks the ball into the legside first up. Chedean Nation has a really easy catch but drops it! That’s incredible.
England take a couple more from the over.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:17
Wicket! Amy Jones 7 (7) ct. Dottin b. Fletcher – England 94-4 (14.3)
Amy Jones looks to go over the offside but is too early on the shot. She lifts the ball gently into the air leaving Deandra Dottin the simplest of catches.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:15
England 94-3 (14.2), Jones 7, Sciver-Brunt 34, Fletcher 1-13 (2.2)
Afy Fletcher is back on. The leg spinner throws one outside the off stump but Sciver-Brunt isn’t interested. A short ball next up is cut away for one.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:14
England 93-3 (14), Jones 7, Sciver-Brunt 33, Ramharack 0-9 (1)
Karishma Ramharack comes into the attack now for the West Indies. She bowls round the wicket and watches as Sciver-Brunt reverse sweeps her down to third for a couple of runs.
An orthodox sweep from the next ball brings another run leaving Amy Jones on strike.
Jones the latches onto a wide delivery down the legside and works it all the way to the fine leg boundary. These are valuable runs for England!
Two runs come from the final two balls meaning nine from the over. Another good one for England.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:13
England 84-3 (13), Jones 2, Sciver-Brunt 29, Dottin 0-13 (2)
Amy Jones is the new batter, she’s only batted once in the tournament so far and gets off the mark with a single. Nat Sciver-Brunt will need to bat the rest of the innings to get England to a big total now.
Four singles come from the first five deliveries with Sciver-Brunt deciding to keep the strike for the next over and taking one more from the last.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:08
England 80-3 (12.1), Knight 21, Sciver-Brunt 27, Dottin 0-8 (1.1)
Heather Knight is called through for a single but starts limping on the way. She tells the umpire that she can’t continue and has to retire hurt.
That’s a blow for England. A big one.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 16:05
England 79-3 (12), Knight 21, Sciver-Brunt 26, Matthews 1-15 (2)
Hayley Matthews comes back into the attack and pins Sciver-Brunt on the pads as she goes for a sweep. The West Indies appeal but the umpire calls ‘not out’. This is a close call but the West Indies have no reviews left to use.
Sciver-Brunt survives and pulls a short ball into the legside for one more. A big sweep shot from the England captain keeps the West Indies interested for half a heartbeat but the ball falls short of the deep square leg fielder.
A reverse sweep from Knight from the final ball brings four runs making it seven from the over.
Annoyingly for the West Indies a hawkeye replay shows that the ball was going on to hit the stumps for the appeal against Sciver-Brunt.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 15:59
England 72-3 (11), Knight 16, Sciver-Brunt 24, Munisar 0-11 (1)
Not only is it not out but Knight got an inside edge on the ball and collects a couple of runs.
Mike Jones15 October 2024 15:56