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Champions Australia have beaten India by nine runs to reach the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah.

Tahlia McGrath has taken the captaincy reins seamlessly from the injured Alyssa Healy to lead Australia into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, while also handing big rivals India a potentially fatal blow.

McGrath, asked to take over because of skipper Healy's foot injury, led from the front in Sharjah on Sunday with a brisk knock of 32 as the champions once again demonstrated their enviable strength-in-depth in their victory by nine runs.

Halfway through India's chase of the Aussies' 8-151, McGrath's side had already done enough statistically to guarantee qualification for the semis.

But the unbeaten Aussies were determined to keep up their stranglehold by restricting India to 9-142, handing their dangerous rivals the defeat that now leaves their hopes of qualifying out of their hands.

If New Zealand beat Pakistan on Monday, India will be eliminated and the Kiwis will advance in second place in the group.