England secured their place in the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup with a 38-run victory over West Indies at Lord's on Wednesday evening. Danni Wyatt-Hodge scored 65 off 42 balls, and captain Heather Knight added a laboured 43 to help England post 186 for 7.
Match summary
West Indies, chasing 187, managed only 148 for 5 in their 20 overs. Charlie Dean, standing in as skipper for the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt, took two wickets and remained composed under pressure. Dean will continue as captain for England's final group match against New Zealand on Saturday.
Sciver-Brunt is recovering from a calf injury. An MRI scan showed the injury is responding well to treatment, but the medical team believes she needs more time for rehabilitation before being fit for the semi-final next week.
Controversial decision
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews was dismissed for 14 after being given out caught behind by the TV umpire Nimali Perera, despite Perera stating on air that there was a clear gap between bat and ball. Matthews originally was ruled not out by the on-field umpires but had to depart after the review.
“When I cut at the ball, I heard something which I thought was probably my bat handle,” Matthews said. “I immediately went to the on-field umpires and told them that I heard a noise. I certainly felt like I was far away from the ball, and I let them know. I felt like you could have seen a clear gap between bat and ball, but [the third umpire] has got to work with the technology that there is and she saw a spike. And at the end of the day I have to respect that.”
England's innings
Wyatt-Hodge's half-century was the highlight of England's batting effort. She said: “I really want to get my hands on that trophy. I’ve never won a T20 World Cup, so I want to keep scoring runs, keep contributing, and enjoy it.”
However, England's innings had nervy moments. Knight ran out first Wyatt-Hodge then herself, and the middle-order pair of Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson failed to accelerate. England finished seven wickets down, but Dean's reverse-sweeps for four in the final over provided a boost.
West Indies' chase falters
West Indies never looked like chasing the target. Deandra Dottin hit one six before being caught by Alice Capsey. Sophie Ecclestone bowled Shemaine Campbelle, who missed a sweep shot. Jahzara Claxton limped to 21 off 34 balls before being caught at point by Linsey Smith.
Chinelle Henry was dropped on 28 and hit two sixes in the final over to bring up a late half-century, but it was not enough. England will be frustrated by the dropped catch, knowing such mistakes could prove costly in the semi-finals.
Group standings
West Indies still can qualify for the semi-finals but must beat Ireland on Saturday to guarantee their spot. England face New Zealand later that day. The reigning champions need West Indies to lose and then win big against England to have any chance of progressing.
On the other side of the draw, Sunday's match between Australia and India will determine who England might face in the semi-final. Australia top the group, while India and South Africa are competing for the fourth semi-final spot.
Heat and crowd
The match was played in unprecedented 35-degree heat, with St John's Wood, London, hotter than St John's, Antigua. Three thousand ticket holders heeded government advice to avoid non-essential travel and did not attend, but 14,000 fans were in the stands. Wyatt-Hodge compared the conditions to playing in Dubai during the 2024 World Cup.
Her 65 off 42 balls made her the leading run-scorer in the tournament, overtaking Scotland's Darcey Carter.
