ICC Women's World Twenty20, Taunton
Group A: New Zealand 127-4 beat South Africa 124-4 by six wickets
Match scorecard
Group B: India 95-5 beat Sri Lanka 94-6 by five wickets
Match scorecard

Watkins drives the ball on the up during her innings against South Africa

New Zealand completed the group phase of the Women's World Twenty20 with a 100% record after beating South Africa by six wickets at Taunton.

Set a target of 125, they reached 127-4 with 11 balls to spare as skipper Aimee Watkins made 35 off 28 balls.

The best batting of the match, however, came from South Africa's Cri-Zelda Brits (57 not out) and Susan Benade (44), who shared a partnership of 91.

India then defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets to reach the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka batted first after a rain hold-up and were restricted to 94-6 from 18 overs, with Deepika Rasangika top scoring with an undefeated 24 from 20 deliveries.

Rumeli Dhar was extremely miserly with the ball for India, conceding just four runs from her four overs, while picking up two wickets.

India's response began badly, losing three of their top four for single-digit scores to leave them vulnerable at 36-3.

But an assured 32 not out from Mithali Raj, coupled with 30 from debutante Punam Raut, steadied India's laboured reply as they sealed the win with 11 balls to spare.

"I didn't do my job in the earlier games so it was time to do something for the team," said Mithali. "It was very dicey. When I went in we had to preserve our wickets while still scoring.

"I was very tense. I may have looked cool - it's like the duck looking calm while it's paddling furiously under water. I don't have a big build, timing is my strength. But I put everything into those two boundaries at the end."

In the day's opening game at Taunton, the White Ferns also won with 11 balls of their run chase not required.

Their run-chase was the product of a solid all-round batting effort, with Suzie Bates, Watkins and Nicola Browne all reaching at least 20.

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