Women’s World T20, India vs Ireland as it happened: Harmanpreet Kaur and Co storm into semi-finals

11.58 pm: That will be all from us for this match. Next up for India, the big one against Australia! Only to decide who tops the group though as both teams have qualified for the final four.

Harmanpreet Kaur: ‘Happy that we are through to the semifinals but there is a lot of areas for us to improve’: Harmanpreet Kaur

Player of the match for the second time in a row is Mithali Raj, for her second straight fifty. First and foremost, she says her knee should be fine soon. Good news, as India will need her in the next match.

India play their last group match against three-time champions Australia on Saturday.

India win by 52 runs to reach the World T20 semi-finals!

The last over by Poonam Yadav is mere formality as Ireland finish on 93/8. A good start but once India’s spinners took over, it was all one way traffic.

This is India’s third win in a row at the World T20, and their seventh consecutive T20 win – the longest T20I win streak for India.

Wicket and wicket!

That’s three dismissals in three balls, with a run out (Richardson) in between due to a mix-up between the batters. But Bhatia gets her stumping (Maritz), her third of the match as Radha Yadav finishes with 3 wickets.

Ireland 91/8 after 19

Wicket!

Is that a stumping? Is that a premature/missed stumping? No, it’s bowled!
Third umpire Redfern needs to look at it again, but the replays make it clear, Radha Yadav’s ball had clipped the bails before Bhatia gets involved. Garth is out on 3 as Ireland’s sixth wicket falls.

Wicket!

Harmanpreet’s tight bowling is rewarded with the big wicket as Joyce, who had stoically built an innings of 33 off 38 balls. She tries to paddle but the ball finds Poonam Yadav who holds on. Harmanpreet finishes with figures of 4-0-10-1, Ireland 86/5 after 18.

Wicket!

Deepti Sharma is taken for back-to-back fours by Joyce off her first two balls but strikes back to dismiss Kavanagh LBW off the penultimate ball.... after a successful LBW call from India! Ireland 82/4 after 17 overs.

After 16 overs, Ireland 73/3, Joyce 23, Kavanagh 2. Need 73 runs from 24 balls

Harmanpreet Kaur keeping things very, very tight with another frugal over, giving away only. Her figures read 3-0-6-0 so far.

Wicket!

Stumped! Radha Yadav, brought back in to the attack, strikes to dismiss Ireland’s captain Delany, who is beaten by the spin. Taniya Bhatia has another dismissal to her name, deserving with all her quick work behind the stumps. She walks back on 9 off 17, Ireland 71/3 after 15.

After 14 overs, Ireland 66/2, Joyce 20, Delany 7. Need 80 runs from 36 balls

Poonam Yadav with an economic over, keeping the run rate pressure on Ireland.

After 13 overs, Ireland 62/2, Joyce 15, Delany 5. Need 84 runs from 42 balls

Very interesting plan from India as they throw the ball to Jemimah Rodrigues, another part-time spinner like Harmanpreet. She gives away 6 runs in the over.

After 12 overs, Ireland 56/2, Joyce 16, Delany 3. Need 90 runs from 48 balls

Harmanpreet bowls another tight over to give away only 3.

After 11 overs, Ireland 53/2, Joyce 15, Delany 1. Need 93 runs from 54 balls

Hemalatha gets the ball now and Joyce tales her for a boundary on the first and last ball of her first over.

After 10 overs, Ireland 43/2, Joyce 6, Delany 0

Harmanpreet Kaur brings herself into the attack and bowls a sharp over giving away a single run. This is probably what she wants from her spinners, even with the tall asking rate.

Wicket!

Poonam Yadav, like in almost every game she has played this season, strikes with her vicious spin. Shillington is beaten by the lack of pace and is stumped. India 42/2 after 9 overs

After 8 overs, Ireland 39/1, Shillington 15, Joyce 3

Deepti Sharma bowls another tidy over to give away only 4. The spin twins doing the job now.

After 7 overs, Ireland 35/1, Shillington 15, Joyce 2

Poonam Yadav, the highest T20I wicket-taker in a calendar year, comes in and goes for 5 runs, with the one loos ball being smashed for a boundary.

But in a bigger worry for India, Mithali Raj has hurt her knee and is limping out of the field. She took one on her knees while fielding. We will have to wait and see how bad the injury is but she needed help walking off.

Meanwhile, a milestone for Ireland as Shillington becomes the first Irish woman to score 1,000 T20I runs.

Wicket!

Bowled! Deepti Sharma replaces the profligate Radha Yadav and strikes on the first ball! This one is outside off as well, and turns in to slip between the gate and clip the stumps. She goes on on 9 off 19, Ireland 30/1 after the Powerplay. Isobel Joyce the new batter in.

After 5 overs, Ireland 27/0, Lewis 9, Shillington 15

Joshi goes for runs in this over... The Irish opening partnership looking steady so far.

After 4 overs, Ireland 20/0, Lewis 6, Shillington 11

Radha Yadav gives away another wide and boundary to for 7. She is making up for all the dot balls Joshi is bowling, unfortunately for India.

After 3 overs, Ireland 13/0, Lewis 5, Shillington 6

A maiden over from Joshi, with almost all six balls bowled neatly outside off to Lewis. That’s the Indian plan then.

After 2 overs, Ireland 13/0, Lewis 5, Shillington 6

Radha Yadav, from the other end, bowls a poor first over with two wide balls and 8 runs off it. Good over for the Irish batting pair, who have a 20-year age difference between them! Lewis is 17 and Shillington is 37 years of age.

After 1 over, Ireland 5/0, Lewis 4, Shillington 1

One loose ball in the over, and it is duly punished for four.

Time for Ireland’s chase then, Mansi Joshi with the new ball, Gaby Lewis and Clare Shillington to open.

India finish on 145/6.

Not quite the target India would have wanted, given their batting prowess against a team that has lost their last two games. But credit to Ireland for a fighting display on the field. Over to India’s bowling now, where spinners will be in focus on this pitch that looks slow.

Do India have enough on the board to seal their semifinal spot?

Wicket!

Dayalan Hemalatha is run out on 4 after a terrible mix-p with Deepti Sharma, who stands her ground.

Wicket!

Mithali Raj falls soon after her fifty as she edged to wicket-keeper Waldron off Garth. She was done in by the slower ball as she looked to play it through covers. She walks back on 51 off 56, India 133/5 after 18.3 overs.

Fifty for Mithali Raj!

The veteran holds her end steady, even as she takes 54 balls to get to her second straight fifty in this World T20. India 131/4 after 18.

This half-century is Raj’s 7th in 2018 (17th overall), the most in a calendar year!

Wicket! India 127/4 after 17.2

Update: Veda can’t. She is bowled by an almost textbook yorker from O’Reilly on 9 ( off 9). Straight, low, goes under the bat and knocks out the timber. Ireland getting the late flourish here.

After 17 overs, India 125/3 - Raj 49, Veda 7

Veda Krishnamurthy, also known for big-hitting, is on crease and gets a boundary off Delany. But with 3 overs to go, India need a big, late flourish. Can “Darth” Veda do it?

Six and out!!

Second ball she faces, Harmanpreet whacks for Six – a clean, long hit. Typical, right?
Third ball, she slides sown and wallops a full toss... but finds the Kavanagh at the boundary, who takes a superb catch, running in and keeping her eyes on the ball. Richardson gets the breakthrough as the captain walks off on 7 off 3, and the Irish are delighted! India 118/3 after 16.

Wicket!

Stumped, and how! Delany has foxed young Rodrigues, as she comes dancing down only for the ball to slip through and keeper Waldron has no trouble taking the bails off. The teen’s short-and-shot-studded-stay comes to an end on 18 off 12. Now, it’s Harmanpreet time!

After 14 overs, India 102/1 - Raj 43, Rodrigues 17

Rodrigues gets another boundary... this time of the penultimate ball, with a terrific, lift over fine leg off one knee. That is class! India need a lot more of this though, as the hundred comes up in the 14th over.

After 13 overs, India 94/1 - Raj 41, Rodrigues 11

Raj dropped again! That is two extra lives for the Indian opener in this innings.
Captain Laura Delany bring in herself and almost gets a breakthrough on the first ball... Raj pulls awkwardly and it goes near square leg but Garth misjudges the length and it falls behind her. But Rodrigues gets another boundary off the last ball.

After 12 overs, India 87/1 - Raj 39, Rodrigues 6

Pacer O’Reilly is back for her second but it doesn’t go too well for her as she gives away 4 wides and a boundary off the last ball from Rodrigues. That was a superb drive through backward point from the youngster!

After 11 overs, India 73/1 - Raj 34, Rodrigues 2

A tidy over from Joyce, giving away only 6 runs. Raj continues to hold steady with young Jemimah Rodrigues for company.

Wicket!

Bowled! Mandhana tries to go big with a mighty heave, but misses the straight one from Kim Garth and it goes through the gap to knock the bails off. She walks back on 33 off 29, will not be too happy about this mode of dismissal. India lose their first wicket at the halfway mark, 67/1 after 10.

After 9 overs, India 61/0 - Raj 26, Mandhana 32

Isobel Joyce, (yes she is related to Ed, he is her brother) into the attack and gives away only 5 runs – all singles – in the over.

After 8 overs, India 56/0 - Raj 24, Mandhana 29

Raj finds the gap for for a classic four through the short third region, as India score five of the Garth over.

After 7 overs, India 50/0 - Raj 19, Mandhana 28

50 comes up for India after a delightful shot by Mandhana. Dancing down the track and lofting Raack’s lofted delivery over long off. That went a long way all on sheer timing.

After 6 overs, India 42/0 - Raj 18, Mandhana 21

BIG OVER TO END THE POWERPLAY FOR INDIA! 15 runs off it. Not been Moritz’s outing so far.

Two boundaries in the last two overs for Mandhana, who started the last over with an inside out drive against Richardson and then puts away a juicy full toss off the Moritz over (after failing to connect with a free hit).

Raj then finishes the powerplay with back-to-back fours. A delicious cover drive, followed by a wristy flick. Moves on to 18 off 20 balls to make it a decent powerplay.

After 5 overs, India 27/0 - Raj 10, Mandhana 16

From 4 off 16, Raj moves on to 10 off 17 with a six! All timing, that. Off the last ball of that over, she caresses one over long off, after a step down the track and lofts it over for six.

Another bowling change from the other end, Maritz comes on.

After 4 overs, India 16/0 - Raj 4, Mandhana 11

Raj is batting on 4 off 11 balls. This is the problem area that Harmanpreet Kaur was talking about earlier and Raj is not doing anything to quell that. Garth was the bowler, and three runs came off that over.

Richardson to continue...

After 3 overs, India 13/0 - Raj 3, Mandhana 9

DROPPED! Oh dear. A rank full toss from Richardson, swept by Mithali straight to Maritz but the youngster puts it down. That’s an example of the professional aspect the Ireland captain spoke about earlier in the tournament. Got to feel for Ireland. Good over by Richardson, just two singles off it. India’s innings stuck at the moment

Very interesting helmet on Ireland’s wicket-keeper Mary Waldron...

After 2 overs, India 11/0 - Raj 2, Mandhana 8

Another boundary for Mandhana, this time in complete control. O’reilly, the medium pacer, offers width and it’s elegantly guided behind point for four. Raj had taken a single earlier with a similar shot but the third man fielder was deep for her.

A hint of away shape in that over too. Movement in the air.

After 1 over, India 6/0 - Raj 1, Mandhana 4

Very slow turn on display in the first over. Mithali takes a single off the fourth ball. Mandhana gets off the mark with an awkward looking shot just past short fine leg. It was a bad ball, but it was almost swept-pulled to the fielder. That would have been a horror dismissal.

8.36 pm: Rain has stopped. Covers are off. National anthems are sung. Let the cricket begin! Mithali Raj and Smriti Mandhana are opening once again.

8.33 pm: Confirmation of the playing XIs...

INDIA: S Mandhana, M Raj, J Rodrigues, T Bhatia, H Kaur, D Hemalatha, D Sharma, V Krishnamurthy, R Yadav, M Joshi, P Yadav

IRELAND: C Shillington, G Lewis, I Joyce, L Delany, S Kavanagh, K Garth, E Richardson, M Waldron, L Maritz, L O’Reilly, C Raack

8.29 pm: Right, off we go with the national anthems.

8.27 pm: Some fascinating scenes at the start of this match. It’s raining, the cover is on the pitch but the players are walking out there, ready for the national anthem.

8.18 pm: Mansi Joshi replaces Arundhati Reddy for India as they stick to a 1 pacer-4 spinners lineup. Delany says she wants to make use of the overhead conditions. Kaur wanted to bowl first too. Says the team has rested for two days and is fresh and raring to go.

It’s starting to just drizzle again says Wilkins. Fingers crossed it isn’t serious.

8.15 pm: Toss time... Laura Delany wins the toss and Ireland will bowl first.

Match will start on time FYI.

8.04 pm: Apparently it was pouring cats and dogs in the morning and play looked near impossible but the weather has cleared now and a prompt start is expected. Tom Moody and Alan Wilkins all praise for the ground staff.

8.01 pm: Here’s how the two groups look ahead of India’s clash against Ireland. A win today will guarantee a place in the semifinals for the women in blue.

7.53 pm: Here’s a look at the full squads for the two sides. Will India make any changes?

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Tanya Bhatia, Ekta Bisht, Dayalan Hemalatha, Mansi Joshi, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Anuja Patil, Mithali Raj, Arundathi Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav

Ireland: Laura Delany (captain), Kim Garth, Cecelia Joyce, Isobel Joyce, Shauna Kavanagh, Amy Kenealy, Gaby Lewis, Lara Maritz, Ciara Metcalfe, Lucy O’Reilly, Celeste Raack, Eimear Richardson, Clare Shillington, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

7.50 pm: Lucy O’Reilly, with 3/19 from her four overs, and batters Clare Shillington (27 in 25) and Isobel Joyce (30 in 31) gave good accounts of themselves in the game against Pakistan and Ireland will be hoping for that and more against India to pull off what would be a massive upset.

Some reading for you as we wait for news on the toss.

Mithali Raj’s return to form masks sloppy fielding, penalty drama in India’s win over arch-rivals Pakistan. Read.

Weather update: There seems to be some rain in Guyana in the morning, but the good news is that covers are out now.

7.30 PM: Hello and welcome to the live blog of India’s third match at the ICC Women’s World T20, played in Guyana against Ireland.