NEW DELHI: India's path to the ICC Women's World Cup semifinals suffered another setback as they went down to defending champions Australia by three wickets at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

'Last six overs cost us': Harmanpreet Kaur's heartbreak after Australia's record chase

Australia pulled off a record chase in Women's ODI history, overhauling India's 331 with an over to spare. India, who began their campaign with consecutive wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, have now slipped to a second straight defeat after losing their previous game to South Africa.

Alyssa Healy leads from the front as Australia pull off record Women's ODI chase vs India

The successive defeats have not hurt India's position for now, as they remain third on the points table with four points. Australia lead the standings with seven points from four matches, followed by England with six points from three games. South Africa sit fourth, behind India, also on four points but with an inferior net run rate.

While Australia and England are all but certain to finish in the top two, the battle for the remaining two semifinal spots will see India, South Africa, and New Zealand competing.

India's next matches with England and New Zealand will prove decisive for their World Cup campaign. Defeating England could significantly strengthen their semifinal hopes, whereas a loss would put them on shaky ground. While a win over Bangladesh is anticipated, it alone may not secure India's progression.

South Africa, having already defeated both India and New Zealand, currently hold the advantage and could secure a semifinal spot even before their final match against Australia.

New Zealand, meanwhile, have suffered two losses but still face Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. Depending on their results, they could enter the clash with India already on six points, setting up a high-stakes showdown.

For India, the path to the semifinals hinges on their remaining three matches. Winning all three would take them to 10 points, almost guaranteeing progression, while securing two victories would leave them in a precarious position, with their fate potentially decided by net run rate and the outcomes of other matches.