Best performance of the tournament: Meg Lanning on win over New Zealand

After securing a semifinal spot in the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Australia skipper Meg Lanning on Monday termed the victory against New Zealand as "best performance of the tournament".

The hosts defeated White Ferns by four runs in their last group-stage match and proceeded to the last four of the tournament.

"Today's performance was our best of the tournament so far. I don't think we could be better placed for the semi-finals," said Lanning.

"It's certainly nice to have a win against a really good team and I thought it was a really good performance. We started well and were able to calm the situation down early with Beth Mooney playing a really good hand," she added.

Beth Mooney's 60-run innings off 50 balls guided the side to post 155/5 in allotted twenty overs. Skipper Meg Lanning (21), Ashleigh Gardner (20), Ellyse Perry (21), and Rachael Haynes (19*) also played brief knocks.

"We were under the pump with the ball a little bit but I think we dealt with it extremely well to get over the line against a really good New Zealand team," Lanning said.

Kiwis were restricted to 151/7 in twenty overs. Spinner Georgia Wareham and Megan Schutt bagged three wickets each. Wareham bowled economically and returned with figures of 3-17 in her four overs.

"Our first challenge for this tournament to get out of the group stage and to have done that now is certainly a nice feeling," she said.

The hosts were dealt a blow in Melbourne when Ellyse Perry, who had to pass a fitness test to play, was forced off after sustaining a hamstring injury.

The star all-rounder is yet to miss a Women's T20 World Cup match since the tournament began in 2009 but the question now lingers over the likelihood of her keeping that record intact.

"Ellyse has been a massive part of our squad and team for a long time and you can't replace her. But we've got 15 players here who can do a job and you need a squad to win a World Cup. You can't rely on one or two players and use the same 11 players every game," Lanning said.

From Group A, India and Australia have qualified for the semifinal while South Africa and England will proceed to the last-four from Group B.