Australia storm into Women’s T20 World Cup final after dominant win over West Indies

Australia powered into the Women’s T20 World Cup final with an eight-wicket win over West Indies at The Oval. Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner led the chase as Australia reached 127-2 with seven overs to spare

London: Australia cruised into yet another Women’s T20 World Cup final after hammering West Indies by eight wickets at The Oval on Tuesday.

West Indies made 125-7, and the inadequacy of the total was exposed as Australia chased it down with seven overs to spare.

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Opener Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner combined after the seventh over of the chase and dismantled the attack with an unbeaten 63-run stand from 37 balls to seal a 127-2 victory.

Mooney scored 61 off 36 balls—her eighth T20 World Cup fifty, equalling New Zealand’s Suzie Bates for the most in tournament history. Gardner made 35 off 20 balls and struck the winning runs with a boundary flicked off her pads.

Undefeated Australia will chase a seventh T20 World Cup crown in its eighth final in 10 editions. At Lord’s on Sunday, it will face hosts England or South Africa. Their semifinal is scheduled for Thursday at The Oval.

“The T20 World Cup, you just have to ride it. It’s full of momentum swings,” Australia captain Sophie Molineux said. “The group has really enjoyed it and that’s the important thing.”

West Indies were shaken moments before the semifinal when all-rounder Deandra Dottin had to be helped off the field after the anthems. “To see her almost passing out during the national anthem was a bit scary,” captain Hayley Matthews said.

Australia lost Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield in the powerplay but recovered through Mooney, who struck 18 runs—including four boundaries—in Jahzara Claxton’s only over of the tournament.

Ellyse Perry retired hurt on 2 as a precaution due to a quad issue. Molineux said she is expected to be fit for the final. Gardner replaced Perry and went on to win Player of the Match.

Gardner also took 2-13 with her off-spin, dismissing Claxton and Stafanie Taylor in the 11th over to accelerate West Indies’ collapse.

West Indies’ only two wins over Australia in 19 T20Is had come through Hayley Matthews—66 in the 2016 World Cup final and 132 in Sydney in 2023. This time, Matthews made 30 off 28, while Qiana Joseph struggled for 8 off 19 before being dismissed after Matthews fell for 16 off 22.

Dottin’s absence proved costly despite a brisk unbeaten 26 off 16 balls later in the innings. The match was played before a crowd of 10,023 in an afternoon start scheduled to accommodate India’s potential qualification, which did not materialise after their elimination by Australia.

Supporting Gardner were Molineux with 2-30 and Georgia Wareham, who bowled Matthews for 2-17.