Kaur and Taylor stars of dramatic semi-finals

There could hardly have been more drama in the two semi-finals at the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup but now we know Sunday’s finalists – India and England.

Host England needed some lower-order batting heroics to eke out a two-wicket victory over a valiant South Africa team with just two balls to spare in Bristol on Tuesday.

Forty-eight hours later, India smacked 281 for four from a rain-shortened 42-over match before reigning champion Australia came up 36 runs short despite a brave final-wicket stand.

Both games saw some of the best players in the world produce mesmerising performances and we’ve picked out some of the displays that lit up the last-four.

India beats Australia by 36 runs at The County Ground, Derby

Australia, as reigning champion and six-time holder of the title, went into its tie with India as undeniable favourite – having lost just one of its group stage matches, a slender three-run defeat to host England.

And after its eight-wicket triumph over India little more than a week prior, Australia must’ve felt it knew what to expect from its opponents.

But one thing it did not expect was Harmanpreet Kaur, although there’s no denying her class at the crease.

Australia found her in the form of her life, however, hitting a career best ODI knock of 171 not out, placing her joint-fifth in the all-time ODI scorers list having notched just 137 runs in the tournament prior to Thursday’s clash in Derby.

It was a performance that, quite literally, knocked Australia for six, its confidence visibly sinking as Kaur slammed her third ODI hundred with boundary after boundary, the Southern Stars’ bowlers unable to find any means of control.

In reaching 150, Kaur took her third 50 in just 17 balls, a monumental effort that turned the heads of cricket fans worldwide, and greats of the game too.

Her remarkable innings didn’t come without consequence though, receiving treatment on her leg mid-innings before sitting out Australia’s turn in the middle completely.

But rest assured, it’s nothing to be concerned about – and she’ll be back fighting fit come Sunday morning.

England beats South Africa by two wickets at The County Ground, Bristol

The first semi-final in Bristol may have come down to the final over and Anya Shrubsole holding her nerve to send England to a home World Cup final, but the host was only in that position thanks to the brilliance of Sarah Taylor.

Back in the squad after a year out of the game due to suffering from anxiety, Taylor underlined her status as one of the best wicket-keepers in the world with a fantastic display behind the stumps.

The standout moment clearly came with her stumping of Trisha Chetty, getting across to a wide from Nat Sciver and breaking the bails in a flash, leaving the South African keeper with no time to get back.

That ended a second-wicket stand of 27 and left South Africa rebuilding as it ended up doing for much of the innings.

Taylor then continued her fine form with the bat – making a fluent 54 on a tricky wicket as England looked to be on course for relatively straightforward victory.

Her dismissal through a run-out, thanks to a great throw from Dane van Niekerk, sparked a collapse and a nervy finish but she had done more than enough to earn the player of the match award.

There was some fine fielding from both sides, with Sciver’s run-out of Van Niekerk a similarly crucial moment in the South African innings just as the skipper looked set to cut loose.

In the end though, it came down to England backing its batters, and after Fran Wilson’s audacious scoop off the bowling of Shabnim Ismail had shifted momentum back to the home side with six overs to go, no.10 Shrubsole then finished the job in emphatic fashion with a cover drive to clinch victory.