Women’s T20 WC: Mooney stars as Australia crush England to lift record-extending seventh title

London, July 5 (IANS) Australia underlined their dominance in women’s cricket once again as opener Beth Mooney and youngster Phoebe Litchfield shared a match-winning 100-run partnership to guide the six-time champions to a commanding seven-wicket victory over England in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Sunday. Chasing 151, Australia reached the target in just 17.1 overs to lift a record-extending seventh Women’s T20 World Cup title.

The triumph added to Australia’s previous title-winning campaigns in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023, giving them two separate hat-tricks of consecutive championships and further strengthening their position as the most successful team in the history of the tournament.

Chasing a competitive target of 151, Australia began cautiously, managing only six runs in the opening over with just one boundary.

Opener Georgia Voll then looked to change the momentum in the second over, striking a couple of boundaries before Lauren Bell struck back on the fifth ball of the over. Voll was clean bowled after scoring nine off six deliveries, giving England an early breakthrough.

Phoebe Litchfield walked in at No. 3 and immediately looked comfortable at the crease, hitting a boundary off the very first ball she faced. At the other end, Beth Mooney settled quickly before launching the counterattack. She found the boundary once in the third over and followed it up with three fours in the fourth over to put England’s bowlers under pressure.

Litchfield matched her senior partner’s intent by smashing a four and a six in the fifth over as Australia quickly shifted the momentum in their favour. Although Linsey Smith bowled an economical sixth over, Australia still raced to 62/1 at the end of the powerplay.

The scoring rate did not slow after the fielding restrictions. Mooney and Litchfield continued to rotate the strike smartly while ensuring at least one boundary came almost every over. Their positive approach steadily took Australia closer to another world title.

The 10th over proved particularly costly for England as Lauren Bell conceded 11 runs, allowing Australia to move to 98/1 at the halfway mark of the chase with the target firmly within reach.

Mooney brought up her half-century with a single in the 13th over, registering her ninth score of fifty or more in Women’s T20 World Cup history to equal Nat Sciver-Brunt’s record.

England finally ended the century partnership on the last ball of the 13th over when Charlie Dean clean bowled Litchfield. The young batter narrowly missed out on a deserved half-century, departing for 48 after striking four fours and two sixes. Their 100-run stand became the second-highest partnership in the history of a Women’s T20 World Cup final, behind the partnership between Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor in the 2016 final in Kolkata.

Despite losing her partner, Mooney ensured there would be no late twist. She struck three boundaries in the following over as Australia’s victory became a mere formality, with only 22 runs required from the final six overs.

Ellyse Perry, after a quiet start, joined the party by hitting a boundary in the 15th over as Australia closed in on the target. England managed one final breakthrough when Sophie Ecclestone trapped Mooney leg before wicket after a successful review. Mooney’s outstanding knock of 64 from 49 balls included 10 boundaries and had already taken the game away from the hosts.

Perry then received a reprieve in the next over when Ecclestone was unable to complete a difficult catch cleanly. The experienced all-rounder remained unbeaten on 13 as Australia crossed the finish line with 17 balls to spare to seal another memorable World Cup triumph.

Earlier, England recovered well after a difficult start to post 150/4, thanks to an unbeaten 58 from captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and an equally important unbeaten 44 from Freya Kemp.

After being asked to bat first, England lost Amy Jones and Danni Wyatt-Hodge inside the powerplay before Alice Capsey briefly counterattacked with 23 from 20 balls. Australia continued to strike at regular intervals, with Heather Knight also falling cheaply.

Sciver-Brunt then anchored the innings with a composed knock, rotating the strike effectively before accelerating in the closing overs. Kemp provided the perfect support, adding quick runs during the death overs as the unbeaten pair lifted England to what appeared to be a competitive total.

Sciver-Brunt’s 58 not out from 53 balls, featuring five boundaries, also made her the first England player to score a half-century in both the semifinal and the final of a Women’s T20 World Cup. Kemp remained unbeaten on 44 from 28 deliveries, hitting four fours and a six.

For Australia, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Annabel Sutherland and captain Sophie Molineux claimed one wicket each before their batters completed a clinical chase to crown Australia Women’s T20 World Cup champions for a record seventh time.

Brief Scores: England 150/4 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 58*, Freya Kemp 44*, Alice Capsey 23; Lucy Hamilton 1-19, Kim Garth 1-20) lost to Australia in 153/5 in 17.1 overs (Beth Mooney 64, Phoebe Litchfield 48; Sophie Ecclestone 1-24, Charlotte Dean 1-28) by 7 wickets.

–IANS

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