India reached the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup on Monday, winning against Ireland by five runs (DLS method) in a rain-hit game at St Geroge’s Park in Gqeberha.

This is the third time that India are in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. They will take on defending champions Australia in Cape Town on Thursday.

India won the toss on Monday and opted to bat first, and riding on Smriti Mandhana’s 56-ball 87, posted 155/6. Ireland, in reply, were 54/2 after 8.2 overs when rain forced the players off the field.

With the weather not improving, the game had to be abandoned and Ireland were found five runs short of the DLS par score. “It was a good game for us. Smriti got runs, which is very important for the team. Whenever she gives us starts, we get to good totals,” skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said at the post-match presentation. Mandhana’s knock comprised nine fours and three sixes as she anchored the innings, departing late in the penultimate over.

But Mandhana’s effort aside, the performance of the other Indian batters wasn’t too inspiring. Shafali Verma, the other opener, scored 24 but her strike rate was not even 90. Thanks to the late strikes from Jemimah Rodrigues (19 off 12 balls), India could cross 150.