WATCH: Tears and heartbreak after England’s shocking exit from Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

At the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, England were knocked out of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 after losing to the West Indies by 6 wickets in the final group stage match. The defeat ended England’s hopes of advancing to the semifinals, marking a painful conclusion to what had been an impressive tournament run.

Emotional scenes after a devastating loss

Following the match, emotional scenes unfolded as England players were visibly heartbroken. Tears filled the eyes of several players, while teammates consoled one another after the crushing defeat. The sense of loss was palpable as England, considered one of the tournament favourites, had been playing exceptional cricket throughout the group stages. The team’s emotional response reflected the bitter disappointment of missing out on a semifinal spot, especially after having such a strong start to the competition.

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England’s dominant start marred by a defeat against West Indies

Before this unexpected loss, England were quite dominant in the tournament, winning all three of their previous matches. However, their fortunes changed in the last group stage match against West Indies. Despite finishing with the same number of wins as the top two teams in their group – West Indies and South Africa – England’s hopes were dashed due to their inferior net run rate (NRR). England finished with an NRR of 1.091, just behind West Indies (1.536) and South Africa (1.382).

This narrow margin meant that England missed out on the semifinals, a bitter pill to swallow for a team that had shown such promise.

West Indies to face New Zealand in the semifinal

Batting first, England posted a respectable total of 141/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Nat Sciver-Brunt was the standout performer, scoring a gritty 57 off 50 balls, which included five boundaries. However, England’s batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum, losing wickets at crucial intervals. West Indies’ spinner Afy Fletcher led the bowling attack brilliantly, claiming 3 wickets to restrict England’s progress.

In response, West Indies chased down the 142-run target with ease, reaching 142/4 in just 18 overs. The opening partnership between Qiana Joseph and skipper Hayley Matthews proved pivotal, as they stitched together a solid 102-run stand. Both openers scored crucial half-centuries, with Joseph’s 52 earning her the Player of the Match award. West Indies secured their semifinal spot with the victory, as Joseph and Matthews’ performances ensured a comfortable win by 6 wickets.

With this victory, West Indies booked their place in the semifinals and will face New Zealand Women on October 18th at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The team will look to carry forward the momentum from this win as they aim to progress further in the tournament. Meanwhile, England will be left to reflect on a campaign that promised much but ended in heartbreak.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.