Women's T20 World Cup: India and South Africa win to take semi-final fight to final day
Ffion Wynne
ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Group 2, Old Trafford
Bangladesh 136-8 (20 overs): Ferdous 33 (31); Yadav 3-28
India 139-5 (16.5 overs): Shafali 53 (34); Ritu 2-29
India won by five wickets
Wins for India and South Africa at the Women's T20 World Cup ensured the fight for semi-final qualification will go to the final day of the group stage.
India beat Bangladesh by five wickets and face Australia, who are top of Group One, in the final fixture at Lord's on Sunday knowing they will likely need to beat the six-time champions to qualify.
South Africa thrashed winless Netherlands by 88 runs and will need to beat Bangladesh in their final game and hope that India lose, otherwise it will go down to net run-rate. Bangladesh also retain a slim chance of progression.
In Thursday's first game, India chased a below-par 137 at Old Trafford as opener Shafali Verma struck 53 from 34 balls, and they reached their target in 16.5 overs.
But if they are to overcome the unbeaten Australians, India's fielding will need to improve significantly. A sloppy performance saw them drop four catches in the first five overs and the innings was littered with misfields.
Despite that, there was a glaring difference in quality between the teams as Bangladesh were unable to punish the mistakes as they scraped to 136-8.
Juairiya Ferdous top-scored with 33 while captain Nigar Sultana Joty added 32, but India's spin-heavy approach prevailed once more as Radha Yadav took 3-28 and Sree Charani 2-21.
India lost Smriti Mandhana early before Shafali took charge and the chase slowed after her dismissal in the ninth over, but Jemimah Rodrigues' 26 from 15 helped them over the line.
South Africa needed to close the big gap between their net run-rate and India's, which they did with a crushing win and they have a golden opportunity to edge even closer when they play Bangladesh, also on Sunday.
Opener Tazmin Brits hammered 114 not out from 69 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes, as the Proteas posted an imposing 209-1.
Brits added 121 for the first wicket with skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who made 45, before Hannah Landheer took the Netherlands' only wicket. Annerie Dercksen then blitzed an unbeaten 37 from just 16 balls at the death.
Silver Siegers' bowling figures took plenty of the damage with 0-60 from her four overs while spinner Caroline de Lange was the most economical, finishing with 0-22.
Netherlands put in a spirited performance in reply and managed to survive 20 overs, but fell far short on 120-8 as opener Phebe Molkenboer top-scored with a run-a-ball 41.
Seamer Ayabonga Khaka was the pick of the South Africa bowlers with 3-19, including two in two in the final over but Caroline de Lange survived the hat-trick ball.