Dubai: New Zealand has made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup for the first time since 2016. In the 19th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 54 runs. With Pakistan's defeat, the Indian women's team also got out of the race for the semi-finals.

With this victory, New Zealand's team reached the semi-finals by finishing second in Group A with six points from three wins in four matches. Australia's team remained on top. With New Zealand's victory, India and Pakistan's dream of making it to the last four was also shattered.

Pakistan restricted New Zealand to 110 for six thanks to a superb performance by their spinners, led by left-arm spinner Nassra Sandhu, but their batsmen failed miserably in chasing the target and the team was all out for 56 in 11.4 overs.

Sandhu (three wickets for 18 runs) and off-spinner Omaima Sohail (one wicket for 14 runs) kept the New Zealand batsmen in check in the middle overs as the team failed to post a big score. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal (one wicket for 23 runs) and off-spinner Nida Dar (one wicket for 26 runs) also took one wicket each. Pakistan's fielders, however, were disappointed and dropped eight catches.

For New Zealand, opener Suzie Bates made the highest score of 28 runs. Apart from her, only Brooke Halliday (22) could touch the 20-run mark.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine won the toss and decided to bat first, after which Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimer (17) gave the team a cautious start by adding 39 runs in the power play. Bates opened her account with a four on the second ball of Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and then hit a four in her next over. Plimer also hit a boundary off the ball of the Pakistan captain.

Bates was lucky to be on 14 when wicketkeeper Muniba Ali dropped a difficult catch off Nida. Bates got another reprieve in Omaima's next over when Nasra failed to catch her.

However, Nasra compensated for her mistake to some extent and got Plimer caught by Fatima to give Pakistan its first success. Omaima dropped Amelia Kerr's catch on her own ball. The team's half-century was completed in the ninth over but Bates gave an easy catch to Nida on Nasra's ball in the same over. She faced 29 balls and hit three fours.

Amelia (09) could not take advantage of the life and was caught by Fatima off Omaima's bowling, taking New Zealand to 58 for three in the 12th over. Halliday ended the boundary drought with two fours off leg-spinner Syeda Arub Shah in the 15th over.

After this, Devine was also given a reprieve by Sidra Amin at long-on off Nida's ball. Halide was also given a reprieve off Nasra's ball but she was stumped by Muniba in the same over of this left-arm spinner. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal got Devine (19) caught by Fatima. New Zealand's century of runs was completed in the 19th over. Pakistan dropped three catches in the last over due to which New Zealand was successful in taking its score to 110.