Delhi, India: Again, Australia has done it. They beat host South Africa by 19 runs on Sunday at Newlands, Cape Town, to win the ICC Women's T20 World Cup for a record sixth time.
Australia, playing in their seventh final in a row, prevented South Africa, who were playing in their first summit match, from experiencing a fairytale ending in front of the fans who were at home. Instead, the Australians won the T20 World Cup for the second time, completing a hat-trick. In 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020, they had previously won the title.
As it transpired: Australia vs. South Africa Australia chose to bat in the big final, scoring 156 for 6 in 20 overs thanks to 'Player of the Match' Beth Mooney's unbeaten 74 off 53 balls. And in the end, it proved to be sufficient for them as South Africa gave in to pressure in their run chase.
The hosts cautiously began the chase, scoring just 17 runs for the loss of one wicket in the first five overs (Tazmin Brits). After that, despite a determined half-century from Laura Wolvaardt (61 off 48), South Africa never recovered and finished with 137 for 6 in their 20 overs.
For the sixth time, Australia has won the Women's T20 World Cup. That's awesome! AUSvSA |... https://t.co/cmUfLYKm9e — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) 1677427356000 Opener Wolvaardt played a brave one-handed innings while the hosts kept losing wickets. During her knock, Wolvaardt hit five boundaries and three big sixes.
Tahila McGrath caught South Africa's Brits in the fifth over at mid-on. McGrath made a catch above her head off Darcie Brown's bowling as she ran backward. Marizanne Kapp (11) and Wolvaardt then shared a 29-run stand for the second wicket before Kapp was caught by Brown off Ashleigh Gardner's bowling.
South Africa's misery continued one over later when skipper Sune Luus was run out and dropped to 54 for 3 in 10.4 overs.
Australia complete the second hat trick of ICC Women's #T20WorldCup titles. "WHAT A TEAM!#AUSvSA | #TurnItUp https://t.co/pTgRbWtBRA — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) 1677427748000 With runs drying up, Wolvaardt went for a huge heave towards the onside off a full delivery from Megan Schutt, but he South Africa's last hope, the batter, attempted a review but was unsuccessful, and Australia nearly won the match.
Jess Jonassen, a left-arm orthodox spinner, took care of Chloe Tryon (19) in the subsequent over before Anneke Bosch was run out by a ball to end South Africa's slim hopes.
Australia elected to bat, and in the fifth over, Alyssa Healy (18) was caught at cover by Nadine De Klerk off Marizanne Kapp's (2/35) bowling.
The decisive moment: #AUSvSA | #T20WorldCup | #TurnItUp https://t.co/JcP5zJHXmt — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) 1677428048000 Then, Ashleigh Gardner and Mooney joined forces, scoring 29 runs off 21 balls. The pair scored 46 runs for the second wicket, stabilizing the score until Gardner was brilliantly caught at long-off by South Africa skipper Sune Luus
Mooney, on the other hand, went about her business in a blistering manner and sent the bad messages to the fence to keep the scoreboard going.
Grace Harris attempted to increase her scoring rate, but left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba caught her when she attempted a wild heave over the square-leg boundary in the 14th over.
Next, skipper Meg Lanning showed intent from the start, scoring her first runs from a boundary through the point region before being brilliantly caught by Tyron at deep backward square leg off the bowling of Kapp. This marks Australia's sixth Women's #T20WorldCup title. They successfully defended 156 to break South Africa's hea... https://t.co/dGg7RIjnbi — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) 16774
Mooney, on the other hand, remained unperturbed as she continued to consolidate the Australia innings and effortlessly scored boundaries.
Mooney held one end up, but as Australia tried to score runs toward the end of the innings, wickets kept falling at the other end.
Mooney remained stranded at the opposing end as South Africa brilliantly pulled things back toward the end of the innings by taking wickets at regular intervals.
Shabnim Ismail, a pacer for South Africa (2/26) who took Ellyse Perry's and Georgia Wareham's wickets off consecutive balls, played a significant role in restricting Australia. Ismail was on track for a rare hat trick in the final over, but Tahlia McGrath held her back with a single off the innings' final delivery.