Every World Cup throws up its share of surprises. This one’s thrown up a few shockers. Two of the pre-tournament favourites have been knocked out in the group stage itself. Australia, despite having won all their games, are dealing with injury worries, and two dark horses have made it through. The pitches might have been slow, but the action has been breakneck. Read on ..

Harmanpreet Kaur: She fought hard, almost singlehandedly at the end with a 47-ball 54, and got India within touching distance against the Aussies. But alas, it wasn’t to be. She even smashed a fifty off just 27 balls against Sri Lanka resulting in a big win earlier, keeping India’s hopes alive of making it to the semis despite a shock loss against New Zealand in their first league game.

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Pooja Vastrakar: Not the best of tournaments for our star all-rounder. She didn’t play the match against Sri Lanka and then didn’t have much of an opportunity with the bat against Australia, facing just six balls in the chase, where she forged a good stand with Harman. With the ball though, she was quite economical in her spell of 3-0-22-1, which included the scalp of the dangerous Ashleigh Gardner.

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Amelia Kerr: Aapli Mumbai-Kerr’s story is that of a happy qualification. And as usual, she was the chief architect with both bat and ball for New Zealand in each of their games. Against Sri Lanka, she was her typical all-round star, taking a couple of wickets and also hitting an unbeaten 31-ball 34. Against Pakistan, in the final league game, while defending a small total, she snapped up three wickets to derail their innings and seal a semi-final spot.

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Hayley Matthews: It ended in celebration. England were unbeaten leading up to their game against West Indies. The Windies hadn’t beaten England outside home in ten years. And it was with these odds that they squared up in the last league match of the World Cup, in what was a must-win game for both sides to make it to the semis. And Hayley, the captain, was up to it, with a clutch fifty in the chase to pull off a massive upset!

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Nat Sciver-Brunt: She was on the wrong side of the Hayley storm. Despite a fighting fifty against the West Indies on what was a rather slow surface, her side’s thus-unbeaten run came to a teary end in a shock defeat.

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Chloe Tryon: Need tight and miserly bowling? Dial Chloe. Against England and Bangladesh, although she didn’t have a wicket to show for her efforts, her bowling on these slow UAE tracks was right on point, giving nothing away and keeping the pressure on. She made up for the lack of wickets against Scotland, in a spell of 2/22, helping SA to a massive 80-run win. With her side in the semis now, she has the chance to script history!