BRIDGETOWN: Ellyse Perry took three wickets and held her nerve in a tense last over as Australia beat New Zealand by just three runs in a thrilling women's World Twenty20 final.

With the White Ferns needing 14 off the last over, Perry -- backed up by fine fielding -- didn't give up a boundary and the pace bowler finished with impressive figures of three wickets for 18 runs from her maximum four overs.

Victory came just hours after Australia's men's team had lost in the corresponding final to arch-rivals England.

The result was tough on Sophie Devine, whose 38 not out off 35 balls rescued New Zealand from a top order collapse to give them a shot at victory just a year after they had lost in the final to England at Lord's.

New Zealand, chasing a modest 107 for victory after holding their rivals to 108 for six, slumped to 29 for four inside eight overs.

White Ferns skipper Aimee Watkins fell first, caught at short midwicket off pace bowler Clea Smith.

Then Sara McGlashan, who made 84 in New Zealand's semi-final win against the West Indies, was run out for just one after a dreadful mix-up with Suzie Bates.

Bates herself was out for 18, trying to hit across the line when facing pace bowler Ellyse Perry and lobbing a catch to mid-off.

Amy Sattherthwaite then paid the price for playing back to a full Perry delivery that kept a touch low, clean bowled for four.

Rachel Priest was then nearly stumped by opposing wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, the niece of former Aussie gloveman Ian Healy, with third umpire Asad Rauf causing confusion by pressing the wrong button.

Priest's reprieve was shortlived, however, as she holed out for five off left-arm spinner Shelley Nitschke to leave New Zealand in dire straits at 36 for five off 11 overs.

However, Devine and Nicola Browne held firm and, with three overs left, New Zealand needed 33 to win.

But when Perry had Browne caught behind cutting for 20, New Zealand were 77 for six.

However, Devine struck Rene Farrell for four and six off the last two balls of the 19th over and that left New Zealand with 14 to win, off the final over from Perry.

A single got Devine back on strike and she then took several twos to leave the target down to seven off the last two balls.

Another two left the Kiwis needing five off the last ball but they could only manage a single.

Earlier, Browne rocked Australia with a new-ball burst of two wickets for 11 runs in four straight overs during an innings where the top score was Leah Poulton's 20.

Browne forced opener Ellyse Villani (six) to spoon a drive to cover and then dismissed Australia captain Alex Blackwell for nought, with the aid of a fine catch in the gully by Sophie Devine.

In the end, Australia were grateful for a late stand of 27 between Sarah Elliott and Lisa Sthalekar.

Bridgetown (Barbados), May 15 (PTI) It will be a battle of attrition when a confident Australia take on an equally impressive New Zealand in the Women's Twenty20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval here tomorrow.

Both the teams have maintained an unbeaten run en route to their summit stage and they would now put up no-hold-barred efforts to overcome the final barrier.

Australia have beaten India by seven wickets in the first semifinal while New Zealand comprehensively defeated the West Indies by 56 runs in the other match of the final-four stage.

Sarah McGlashan has been the most impressive batter for New Zealand, scoring a punishing 55-ball 84 against the West Indies in semifinals, and she can change all the calculations again in the final with her attacking batting.

ST.KITTS: India defeated Sri Lanka Monday to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 on the last day of fixtures at Warner Park while New Zealand rounded off their group stage of the tournament with a comfortable victory over Pakistan earlier in the day.

India’s fixture was the second of the day and saw the higher scoring of the two matches at Warner Park with Sulakshana Naik (59) and Mithali Raj (52) both scoring half-centuries as India made 144 for three in 20 overs.

Sri Lanka never quite matched up to India's batting and made a mere 73 for nine in 20 overs.

Diana David was by far the pick of the Indian bowlers taking an impressive four for 12 in a haul that included top-order batters Suwini de Alwis, Chamari Polgampola and Sripali Weerakkody.

"It’s obviously good to know we’ve now qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament and we’re looking forward to facing Australia next in St Lucia," said India captain Jhulan Goswami.

Naik smashed five boundaries on her way to making 59 runs and was mainly assisted in her innings by Raj after Poonam Raut departed for 12 being bowled by Udeshika Prabodhani.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand pacer Nicola Browne led her side’s rout of the Pakistan side in the two teams’ final game of Group B to secure the top place in the pool ahead of the semi-finals of the tournament due to take place in St. Lucia later this week.

Browne, who took four for 15, demolished the Pakistan batting line up with Sana Mir’s side finishing at 65 for nine in 20 overs. Having won the toss and electing to bat only three Pakistan batsman made it into double figures -- Nain Abidi (11), Urooj Mumtaz (14) and Sania Khan (15).

Pakistan’s batting performance was disastrous as New Zealand’s bowling department, including the pace of Browne, was simply too strong for the team from the sub-continent.

"We didn’t perform at all well in this tournament," said Mir.

"The only time we did well as a side was during the warm-up fixtures and this was not good enough for a world tournament. We need to go and improve our game as the standard of women’s cricket has improved a lot in the last year and all credit must go to New Zealand who played extremely well today," she said.

New Zealand took just 8.2 overs to reach the target set by Pakistan but not before they’d lost four wickets including that of opener Suzie Bates who was caught by Mir and Rachel Priest who departed for just two runs. It was up to Sara McGlashan and Liz Perry to see the White Ferns through to the close and seal the victory for the team.

"It’s obviously good to know we’ve finished top of the group but to be facing West Indies is going to be a challenge in the semi-finals in St Lucia. They are the kind of team that are so unpredictable at Twenty20. One day they could make 80 all out and another 180 for four so I’m not taking the upcoming fixture lightly.

"Hopefully they’ve watched today’s game and seen what kind of a bowling attack we’ve got in our side," said New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins.

ST KITTS: Australia's women maintained their 100% record, and booked themselves a slot in the first semi-final in St Lucia on May 13, by seeing off West Indies by nine runs in a tight contest in Basseterre.

There was little at stake except for pride, with both sides already assured of their progression to the last four, but it was Australia who finished the group stage the stronger, thanks to a disciplined allround display.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Australia posted a solid but unspectacular 133 for 7 in their 20 overs, with seven of their eight batsmen reaching double figures. The captain, Alex Blackwell, was the top-scorer with 28 from 26 balls, while Shanel Daley and Anisa Mohammed, with three wickets apiece, were the pick of the West Indies attack.

In reply, West Indies suffered an early setback when Juliana Nero and Cordel Jack were both dismissed within three balls of one another (16 for 2), but Stafanie Taylor led the revival with an unbeaten 58 from 54 balls, adding 46 for the third wicket with Britney Cooper, who made 27.

However, Australia's bowlers held their nerve and kept their discipline, with Ellyse Perry claiming 2 for 19 in three overs to peg West Indies back in mid-innings. Her wickets included Deandra Dottin, who fell for her second first-ball duck in consecutive matches, having launched the tournament with a 38-ball century.

ST KITTS: New Zealand's women booked their place in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 with a comprehensive 47-run victory over Sri Lanka at Basseterre.

After winning the toss and batting first, the mainstay of New Zealand's performance was the opener, Suzie Bates, whose aggressive 43-ball 50 set the tone for an imposing total of 154 for 7. In reply, Sri Lanka started brightly, adding 32 inside the first five overs, but lost momentum to finish well adrift on 107 for 8.

Bates and Aimee Watkins (20) added 54 for New Zealand's first wicket, before Sara McGlashan raised the tempo with two fours and two sixes in a 23-ball 31. At 112 for 4 with four overs remaining, Elizabeth Perry and Nicola Browne put the seal on a comprehensive performance with scores of 19 and 20, each from 12 balls.

The one Sri Lankan bowler to keep New Zealand in check was the seamer, Chamani Seneviratna, who claimed 4 for 21 in her four overs, including three in four balls at the very end of the innings. It wasn't, however, enough to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt. Chamari Atapattu made 21 from 14 balls and Suwini de Alwis 26 from 24, but only one other batsman managed double-figures.

BASSETERRE: Australia and West Indies women qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 which will staged in St Lucia alongside the men's tournament on 13 and 14 May.

Australia secured its place in the last four after 24 runs victory over South Africa in the first game of the day at Warner Park with all-rounder Shelley Nitschke leading from the front.

"It's obviously good to know we're in the semi-finals but we can't lose focus. We still have the West Indies to play on Sunday and we'd like to make a clean sweep on way to the semis," said Nitschke after a 32-ball 44.

The West Indies sealed its place in the semi-finals after defeating reigning champion England by just two runs. Charlotte Edwards' side, chasing 123 runs for victory, lost its last nine wickets for 55 runs in 65 balls to finish at 120 for nine. The wickets were shared between Shermaine Campbelle (2-15), Deandra Dottin (2-31) and Anisa Mohammed (2-9), the latter being named Player of the Match.

"It feels great to win Player of the Match as the team needed a victory to reach the semi-finals. The batters did their job by putting 122 runs on the board and the bowlers needed to come good today. It feels great to have gotten the breakthrough for us go onto win the match and make the semis," said Mohammed.

England captain Charlotte Edwards was disappointed with her side's performance in the tournament and believed a lot of hard work was needed before the side takes on New Zealand this summer in England. She said: "The middle-order didn't compose itself well enough. The batters didn't take their time and just hit the ball around.

"A lot of credit has to go to the West Indies as I thought they bowled really well in periods and some loose shots means the pressure builds up in Twenty20 and time runs out in the end.

"We're bitterly disappointed. I've got a very sad changing room down there but we're going to have to pick ourselves up, go back home and work really hard ahead of the series against New Zealand this summer."

In the first match of the day, Australia made a fantastic start to its innings after being put into bat by South Africa captain Cri-Zelda Brits. Alongside Nitschke, Leah Poulton made a quick-fire 39 off 25 balls and Jess Cameron, the star of Australia side's victory over England, struck 27 runs off 18 balls.

South Africa's Sunette Loubser (3-22) and Shabnim Ismael (3-30) were the pick of the bowlers while Brits, Angelique Taai and Loubser showed quick reactions with each running out an Australia player during the innings.

As the Friday afternoon fans began to fill the stadium for the second innings, South Africa's batting line-up did not provide much entertainment despite a valiant effort by number-three batter Mignon du Preez who finished on an unbeaten 53 that included four fours and two sixes.

Australia proved to be superior in the field, limiting South Africa to 131 in its 20 overs and thus securing itself a spot in the semi-finals of the tournament and in the meantime, knocking South Africa out.

In the second match of the day, host the West Indies defeated the current champions in front of a large and excitable crowd in the St Kitts afternoon sunshine.

The host, put into bat, scored 122-8 in 20 overs with Britney Cooper the only batter of any significance, making 20 off 14 balls. Dottin, who in the side's previous match scored a century, departed for a first-ball duck.

England's Laura Marsh took 3-17 and Jenny Gunn 2-10.

As England took to the field in front of a crowd of around 1,000, Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor wasted no time and clocked up 65 runs between them in nine overs before Edwards departed for 31 after being caught by Cordel Jack.

Sarah Taylor departed not long after that and only Lydia Greenway managed to make any runs of note, finishing the game on 26 not out.

Returning England player Claire Taylor once again failed to put runs on the board, this time departing for four after being by Stafanie Taylor off the bowling of Mohammed.

Not long after Dottin claimed the wickets of Beth Morgan and Jenny Gunn off consecutive balls and Laura Marsh began the demise of the tail four overs later after she lofted a ball from Campbelle to Pamela Lavine.

As the lower order continued England began to play erratically to chase down the target and despite Greenway's best efforts the side were left requiring four off the last ball of the final over - something that Juliana Nero was not going to allow as she ran out Katherine Brunt to seal victory for the host much to the appreciation of the home crowd.

BASSETERRE: Mithali Raj's 36-ball 44 and Diana David's four-wicket haul went in vain as India suffered a 11-run loss against New Zealand in their Group B opener of the Women's World Twenty20 here today.

Diana (4/27) wreaked havoc with her off-spinners but New Zealand recovered from a mid-innings collapse to post a competitive 139 for eight from their 20 overs.

Chasing the target, India rode on Mithali Raj's 44 and identical 28s from opener Sulakshana Naik and Amita Sharma to keep themselves in the hunt but eventually it was not enough to romp home as the Kiwi bowlers restricted them to 129 for eight.

Sian Ruck (2/17) and Lucy Doolan (2/18) starred for New Zealand with the ball sharing four wickets between them.

BASSETERRE: Sri Lanka started their Women's World Twenty20 campaign with a narrow win over Pakistan by one run in the opening Group B match of the tournament here today.

Defending a modest 108, Sri Lankan eves produced a disciplined bowling and fielding display to bowl out Pakistan for 107 in the last ball of the innings to register the narrow victory.

Eshani Kaushalya (2/30) was the pick of the Lankan bowlers and she was ably supported by some sharp fielding, which accounted for as many as six run outs.

Only three Pakistani batters -- Bismah Maroof (42 off 40), Javeria Khan (14) and Sajjida Shah (12) could make double figures apart from 18 run extras.

Earlier, Inoka Galagedara (25 off 28) and Suwini de Alwis (22 off 25) shared a 33-run second-wicket stand to take Sri Lanka to 108 in 19.3 overs.