New Delhi: Australia Women underlined their dominance in world cricket once again as they beat England by seven wickets to lift a record seventh ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title at a packed Lord’s on Sunday.
England were hoping to win their first T20 World Cup since 2009 after an impressive campaign under Charlotte Edwards. However, their Ashes rivals once again showed why they remain the team to beat, comfortably chasing down 151 to spoil the hosts’ dream of lifting the trophy in front of a home crowd.
Beth Mooney led the chase with a brilliant 64 off 49 balls while Phoebe Litchfield played the perfect supporting role with 48 from 35 deliveries. They both added a match-winning 100-run partnership for the second wicket, the third-highest stand in the history of a Women’s T20 World Cup final.
England fall short despite fighting effort
After winning the toss, Australia captain Sophie Molineux chose to bowl first and her decision paid off as England never managed to build enough momentum with the bat and finished on 150/4.
Nat Sciver-Brunt top-scored for England with an unbeaten 58 from 53 balls but found it difficult to accelerate on a slow surface. Freya Kemp provided late fireworks with an unbeaten 44 off just 28 deliveries, adding an unbroken 80-run stand with Sciver-Brunt for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, Amy Jones, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey and Heather Knight all fell before England could gain control of the innings, leaving the hosts with a below-par total against a powerful Australian batting line-up.
Mooney and Litchfield seal another WC title
Australia’s chase suffered an early setback when Georgia Voll was bowled by Lauren Bell in the second over but that was the only moment England truly enjoyed with the ball.
Mooney and Litchfield quickly took charge, scoring freely and putting England’s bowlers under pressure. By the time Litchfield departed for 48, Australia needed only 34 runs from 42 balls.
There was one final talking point when Sophie Ecclestone believed she had dismissed Ellyse Perry with a catch, only for the TV umpire to overturn the decision. The controversy had little effect on the result as Australia’s winning runs came in the next over when Ecclestone bowled five wides.
Despite the defeat, this marked England’s first Women’s T20 World Cup final since 2018. Danni Wyatt-Hodge finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer while Sciver-Brunt and Freya Kemp impressed in the final.
