England cruise into T20 World Cup semis

England advanced to the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals after defeating West Indies by 38 runs at Lord’s, marking their fourth consecutive win in the tournament.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge anchored the innings with 65 runs from 42 balls, reinforcing her strong form after scoring a century against Sri Lanka in the opening match. She combined effectively with Alice Capsey, who contributed 28 off 23, and Heather Knight, who added 43 off 26, to propel England to 186-7 after being sent in to bat.

The West Indies response faltered early. Their powerplay suffered a setback when captain Hayley Matthews was dismissed caught behind off Linsey Smith, despite replays suggesting the ball missed the bat. Deandra Dottin briefly threatened with two boundaries and a six off Charlie Dean but was caught three deliveries later. England’s bowlers maintained control, with Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell keeping the scoring in check, though late fielding errors allowed Chinelle Henry and Jahzara Claxton to add 63 for the fifth wicket.

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The visitors finished on 148-5, falling short of the required total. Their fielding lapses compounded the issue, including an early run-out chance against Knight and a dropped catch when she was on 14, both resulting from Matthews’ misfields. Dottin also missed a sharp chance at point when Wyatt-Hodge was still building her innings.

England’s performance had its flaws. After a strong start in the field, they missed key opportunities, including two dropped catches in the 14th over that let Claxton capitalize. Gibson failed to hold Henry in the 17th, and Smith couldn’t secure a caught-and-bowled in the final over. The errors didn’t change the outcome, though.

The result ensured England at least second place in Group 2. A win over New Zealand in their final group match at The Kia Oval on Saturday would likely secure first place, avoiding six-time champions Australia in the semi-finals. West Indies still have a chance to progress if they defeat Ireland in Bristol earlier that day.

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Their journey to the knockout stage has been consistent. After an 87-run win over Sri Lanka, they followed with a four-wicket victory against Ireland and another 38-run triumph over Scotland. The remaining group fixture against New Zealand will determine their final standing before the semi-finals next week.

Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will miss the New Zealand match due to a calf injury but is expected to return for the semi-finals. Her wife confirmed earlier this week that Sciver-Brunt was nearly certain to be fit for the knockout stage, with a recent scan showing improvement.

England now turns its attention to finishing the group stage. The match against New Zealand begins at 6:30 p.m. local time and will be available to stream for free on the Sky Sports App.