England's Wyatt-Hodge blasts New Zealand out of Women's T20 World Cup
England's women secured a semi-final spot with a dominant nine-wicket win over defending champions New Zealand at The Oval, eliminating the title holders and sending West Indies through.
Match outcome
England chased down New Zealand's 163 for six with 16 balls to spare, reaching 164 for one in 17.2 overs. The nine-wicket victory extended England's winning run in the tournament and secured top spot in Group B. A record crowd of 21,018 for a Women's T20 World Cup group match watched at The Oval, where England have never lost in 11 matches.
Wyatt-Hodge and Dunkley
Danni Wyatt-Hodge struck 89 not out from 53 balls, taking her tournament tally to 282 and cementing her place as the leading run-scorer. Sophia Dunkley, filling in for the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt, added 49 not out in a 128-run stand. Sciver-Brunt is expected to return for the semi-final, leaving head coach Charlotte Edwards with a selection dilemma after Dunkley's match-winning contributions in two group games.
New Zealand's elimination and farewell
New Zealand, champions in 2024, collapsed from 70 without loss to 70 for three in four balls and lost both Brooke Halliday (run out by Charlie Dean's direct hit) and Sophie Devine in the 16th over. Devine hit three sixes in a 14-ball 30 on her final international appearance. She, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu have announced their retirements, adding pathos to the defeat.
Ireland's morning shock
Earlier in the day, Ireland beat West Indies by six wickets in Bristol to record their first ever T20 World Cup victory. That result gave New Zealand a lifeline: a win against England would have put them through to the semi-finals at West Indies' expense. The New Zealand squad paused their warm-up to celebrate fate being back in their hands, but the celebrations were short-lived.
England's semi-final path
England will face either India or South Africa in the semi-final, with the fixture decided after Sunday's Group A clash between Australia and India. The semi-final will be held at The Oval on Tuesday afternoon or Thursday evening. A win would send England to Lord's for the final, where they will chase a first World Cup title since 2017.
