India will need to win their match against South Africa in Christchurch on Sunday to earn a place in the ongoing Women’s World Cup semi-finals. The job, however, will not be easy given India’s lacklustre form in the tournament and also the fact that the South Africans have played better cricket so far.

Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the last-four stage, while the West Indies, England and India are competing for the remaining two places. The Caribbean side have exhausted their quota of matches and have finished with 7 points after their last game, against South Africa, was washed out.

Mithali Raj’s team and England both have 6 points each with a game to go. If India win on Sunday, they will directly make the semis with 8 points. If they lose, then West Indies will benefit and qualify. In that case, India will have to expect England to lose their last game against Bangladesh — which looks very unlikely at the moment — and then hope that they have a better net run rate to clinch the last semi-final spot. As on Saturday, England have a better net run rate (+0.778) than India (+0.768).

There is also another way for India to progress, that is if Sunday’s match is washed out. Then they will finish with 7 points, the same as the Windies, but will advance as they have a much better net run rate than the Caribbean team (-0.890).

India, the 2017 runners-up, will hope to draw confidence from the fact that they won their last match, against Bangladesh, convincingly. But even in that 110-run win, India’s batting could not shed its inconsistent tag.

The players know the enormity of the challenge. “Tomorrow (Sunday) is a crucial game and everyone knows that. They are all ready to give their 100 per cent. Whoever goes out to bat goes out thinking we have to get partnerships and back each other,” opener Shafali Verma said at the pre-match media conference.

Captain Mithali herself has been struggling with the bat. She has four single digit scores in the tournament. Shafali and Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order have a very crucial role to play. Vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been good with the bat, as has been the all-rounders.

The bowling department will once again be led by Jhulan Goswami. It will be interesting to see if India go with a spin-heavy attack like they did in the last game. The Hagley Oval has a balanced track.

NZ end with win

On Saturday, Suzie Bates hit her 12th ODI century to become the first New Zealand batter, and fourth overall, to reach 5,000 runs in the format as the hosts beat Pakistan by 71 runs to end their World Cup round-robin league campaign with three wins from seven games. Bates hit 126 off 135 balls, her fourth World Cup hundred.

After New Zealand put up 265/8, a maiden five-wicket haul from medium pacer Hannah Rowe helped them restrict Pakistan to 194/9 in 50 overs.

(Written with agency inputs)

• l India Women vs South Africa Women, Christchurch (6.30am IST)