New Zealand Women reached the final of the Women's Twenty20 World Cup, following a superb captain's innings of 89 from 58 balls from Aimee Watkins which set them up for a 52-run victory over India Women yesterday.

Scores: New Zealand Women 145 for five off 20 overs; India Women 93 for nine off 20 overs.

Watkins struck 10 fours and two sixes in the highest score in the women's competition, as New Zealand Women, choosing to bat, reached 145 for five from their allocation of 20 overs in the first semi-final at Trent Bridge.

Steady bowling, agile fielding, and their opponents' lack of hitting power allowed New Zealand Women to manhandle the India Women, and catapulted the White Ferns into the final on Sunday at Lord's.

New Zealand Women will face either reigning women's 50-overs World champions and hosts England, or four-time women's 50-overs World champions and neighbours Australia in the final.

Watkins dominated proceedings after she came to the wicket, when opener Lucy Doolan was caught at mid-wicket off Rumeli Dhar for three in the second over.

The wickets tumbled around Watkins, as her teammates tried to overpower the India Women's attack - but no other woman could pass 15.

Mid-innings crisis

She closed the innings in dramatic fashion, when she sashayed down the pitch and lofted the last ball from Dhar inside-out over extra-cover for the last of her two sixes.

India Women were never really in the chase, and suffered a mid-innings crisis, when they slumped from 30 for one in the seventh over to 58 for six in the 13th over.

Amita Sharma hit the top score of 24, and Mithali Raj made 20 for the India Women.