Australia added another golden chapter to their rich World Cup legacy as they captured the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday.
In front of a 28,000-plus record crowd at Lord’s Cricket Ground, Australia ended England’s perfect record at home World Cups with a 7-wicket win in the final.
Australia wrapped up their invincible run at the tournament in style, overhauling England’s total of 150/4 to register the highest successful run chase at a Women’s T20 World Cup final. The great Beth Mooney once again anchored Australia’s chase with 64 off 49.
This is Australia’s seventh T20 World Cup crown, and a stunning 14th women’s World Cup overall.
Even though hosts England had also won six out of six matches coming into the final, they were done in by their arch-rivals’ all-round brilliance.
Electing to field first, Australia put in a clinical bowling performance to keep England’s star-studded batting line-up quiet. Not only did they take wickets at regular intervals, but bowled to their field and kept a check on the scoring rate.
The hosts did not get the early momentum, with both the openers back in the pavilion before powerplay. Lucy Hamilton gave Australia the breakthrough, bagging her very first wicket in a T20 World Cup as she had Amy Jones caught at backward point in the second over.
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Danni Wyatt-Hodge, the highest run scorer in the tournament, wasn’t able to break free and fell to Annabel Sutherland, as the ball brushed against her glove before Mooney completed a fine catch.
For the second match on the trot, it was Nat Sciver-Brunt that shouldered the responsibility with the bat. Having missed three group stage matches due to a calf injury, the England captain returned for the knockouts and had an instant impact.
Following up on her half-century in the semi-finals against South Africa, Sciver-Brunt was once again in the thick of things as she posted a fighting 58 off 53 balls.
Alice Capsey chipped in with 23, but it was the 80-run unbeaten stand, off 55 balls, between Sciver-Brunt and Freya Kemp that helped England to a fighting total. The left-handed Kemp struck four fours and a six for a quickfire 44 off 28 to give the English innings some much-needed impetus.
It was another collective effort by Australia with the ball, and Kim Garth, Hamilton, Sutherland and Sophie Molineux finished with a wicket each.
Despite the late momentum, England did not have enough runs on the board to test their opponents.
Georgia Voll set the tone by hitting the first ball of the innings for four. Though she did not last long at the wicket, Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield took charge and launched the Australian chase, scoring 62/1 in powerplay.
Even after the fielding restrictions came off, Litchfield and Mooney found the boundaries far too easily and put on a 100-run stand in 67 balls. Litchfield’s easy power took the sting off the early wicket. She struck two sixes and six fours for 48 off 35, while Mooney finished at 64 off 49, with the help of 10 fours.
It was the third half-century for Mooney in a T20 World Cup final, following up on her fifties in the 2020 and 2023 finals.
Though Litchfield was bowled by Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone trapped Mooney leg before wicket, they had taken Australia within striking distance. The experienced Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner took Australia across the finish line in 17.1 overs.
An emphatic win to seal an emphatic tournament for Australia, as they returned to the summit of T20 cricket.
