England’s Women’s T20 World Cup journey came to a tearful end after West Indies pulled off a stunning net run rate heist, securing their spot in the semifinals. The West Indies’ dramatic win marked their first T20I victory over England in 14 matches and their first away win against the side in a decade. However, the players cared little for the historical stats in the moment — they were overjoyed, knowing their performance had catapulted them into the semifinals of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Going into the final Group B match, West Indies faced a monumental task. They needed not only to defeat the undefeated England team but to do so by a large enough margin to improve their net run rate and secure their spot in the semifinals. In a near-impossible scenario, openers Qiana Joseph and Hayley Matthews led the charge, both scoring rapid half-centuries to successfully chase down the target of 142 in just 18 overs, knocking England out of the tournament.
For England, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s valiant unbeaten 57 helped set a competitive total of 141, but it wasn’t enough to stop the West Indies’ aggressive batting display. With Joseph hitting 52 and Matthews adding 50, the 2016 champions comfortably chased the target with two overs to spare. West Indies’ net run rate advantage allowed them to join South Africa in the semifinals, despite all three teams — England, South Africa, and West Indies — finishing the group stage with six points each.
As West Indies celebrated their hard-fought win, England captain Heather Knight broke down in tears. Despite her teammates’ attempts to console her, the devastation of the moment was clear as England missed out on the knockout stages.
How the Game Unfolded
England started their innings cautiously, with openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge finding early momentum. However, West Indies quickly shifted the balance in their favor, with Deandra Dottin’s outstanding catch off Hayley Matthews’ bowling dismissing Wyatt-Hodge for 16. Soon after, Alice Capsey was run out for just one after a brilliant throw from Dottin caught her short of her ground.
With England reeling at 34 for three, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight attempted to steady the innings. Knight played a brisk knock of 21 off 13 balls before being retired hurt, leaving Sciver-Brunt to anchor the innings. Though Sciver-Brunt reached her half-century, England struggled to build a dominant partnership, losing wickets at regular intervals. Sophie Ecclestone’s late six helped England reach a total of 141, but the target would prove insufficient.
West Indies began their chase in explosive fashion, with Hayley Matthews smashing 14 runs in the opening over, including a six off the second ball. Qiana Joseph followed suit, hitting boundaries from her first delivery, as the pair raced to 44 runs in just four overs. Despite a few missed chances from England in the field, including a dropped catch off Joseph when she was on 31, the West Indies openers continued to dominate, bringing up their 50 in just 27 balls.
Joseph brought up her maiden T20I half-century before being dismissed for 52, while Matthews reached her 50 soon after but fell to Sarah Glenn in the same over. Despite the quick wickets, West Indies maintained their momentum. Deandra Dottin’s powerful 27 further cemented the chase, and though she and Shemaine Campbelle fell late in the innings, Aaliyah Alleyne sealed the victory with a boundary, securing the win with 12 balls to spare.
West Indies topped Group B and will face New Zealand in the semifinals, while Australia will take on South Africa in the other semifinal. For England, the exit was a bitter pill to swallow as the tournament favorites were left stunned by the West Indies’ remarkable turnaround.
