Colombo: In a mouth-watering rematch, Group A winner and 2009 champion England will play two-time runner-up New Zealand in the first semi-final of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. The two teams met in the final of the first ICC Women's World Twenty20 in 2009 at Lord's, where England beat New Zealand by six wickets.

In Group A, England defeated Pakistan in its opening match by 43 runs, then India by nine wickets, and, in a big hitting final match of the group stage, successfully chased down Australia's total of 144 to win by seven wickets, with 11 balls remaining.

New Zealand finished second after losing its opening match to group-winner West Indies by seven wickets.  The side bounced back to beat South Africa by 22 runs and then Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

The semi-final will be played on the same day as the first men's semi-final, between host Sri Lanka and Pakistan.  

In the second semi-final, to be played on Friday, West Indies will face defending champion Australia. The women's fixture will take place ahead of the second men's semi-final which is also between West Indies and Australia.

West Indies finished top of Group B after a rocky group stage, beating New Zealand in its first match by seven wickets, before losing to Sri Lanka by five runs in a rain-affected match (D/L method), and then finishing with an emphatic victory against South Africa, winning by 10 wickets.

Australia finished second in Group A, after winning its opening matches against India by eight wickets with 16 balls remaining, and Pakistan by 25 runs in another rain-affected match (D/L method).  However, the side lost its final group match against England by seven wickets, with 11 balls remaining.