India become the first team to qualify for T20 World Cup semi-finals

India entered the semifinals of the women's T20 World Cup after Shafali Verma's 34-ball 46 followed by a superlative performance from the bowlers helped the team notch up a narrow four-run win over New Zealand in Melbourne on Thursday. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

Invited to bat, India posted a below-par 133 for eight in the group A match with Shafali top-scoring with a 34-ball 46 and Taniya Bhatia chipping in with a 25-ball 23. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

They, however, produced a disciplined performance with the ball to restrict New Zealand to 129 for six and register their third successive win in the tournament and seal a last-four spot. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

With this win, India topped Group A, having beaten Australia and Bangladesh in their last two outing. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

Needing 44 off 21 balls, Kerr (34) blasted four boundaries to accumulate 18 runs in the penultimate over bowled by Poonam to bring the equation down to 16 off six balls. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

Earlier, 16-year-old Shafali provided the fireworks as India scored 49 for one in the powerplay overs. But they lost six wickets for 43 runs to squander the good start. Smriti Mandhana (11), who returned to the playing XI after missing the last match due to illness, departed early but Shafali and Taniya (23) kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 51 runs for the second wicket. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)

With the win, India become the first side to reach the semifinals of the tournament. (Source: T20 World Cup Twitter)