Australia edge past India in semi-final thriller

Defending champions Australia reached their seventh consecutive Women's T20 World Cup final with a tense five-run win over India.

Meg Lanning's side looked rattled before Harmanpreet was run out in the 15th over to change the course of the game as India fell short on 167-8.

India will rue a poor fielding performance in the Australian innings, where Beth Mooney was dropped on 32 before going on to make 54, and Lanning was dropped on one before smashing two sixes in the last over to finish 49 not out.

Rodrigues and Harmanpreet added 69 for the fourth wicket, rallying India to 93-3 from 10 overs, as the holders were under real pressure for the first time in the competition.

But 19-year-old Darcie Brown crucially removed Rodrigues for 43 in the 11th over in a brilliant spell of 2-18 from her four overs.

Australia then proved their class to hold their nerve with Ash Gardner defending 16 from the last over to close out a thrilling victory.

They remain unbeaten in their quest for a third consecutive world T20 victory, to go with their 50-over title and Commonwealth Games triumph.

India, who lost to Australia in the previous final in 2020 and the Commonwealth Games final, once again stumbled in a close encounter against their world-class opponents.

Despite India's sloppy start, it did not feel like Australia were capitalising, scoring at around seven runs an over until Gardner's quickfire 31 from 18 balls and Lanning's late acceleration, including a last-ball six, took them beyond 170.

Harmanpreet's team then lost their top three batters - all for single-figure scores - with the game looking to follow the predictable trend of a comfortable Australia victory.

But Rodrigues and Kaur accelerated brilliantly and looked set to inspire an upset.

But a steady flurry of wickets towards the end of the innings, triggered by Harmanpreet's unlucky run out - with her bat getting caught in the ground - cost India and they still wait for a global title.

More to follow.