Ashleigh Gardner plays for Australia in another World Cup final

Quick Scores: Australia (127/2 in 13 overs) beat West Indies (125/7 in 20 overs) by 8 wickets at Kennington Oval, London.

Australia booked another final berth in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a dominant eight-wicket victory over West Indies at The Oval on Tuesday, June 30, chasing 126 with seven overs to spare in the one-sided semi-final. Ashleigh Garnder played for the women from the bottom and contributed with both bat and ball.

Women’s World Cup T20, AUS Vs. WI: MAIN | SCORECARD

It all started after Australia won the toss and asked the Caribbean ladies to bat first. West Indies posted 125-7 but the total never looked like enough against Australia’s deep and aggressive batting line-up. Despite a good start from Hayley Matthews, the innings lost momentum through the middle overs as wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the Caribbean side short of a competitive end.

Australia’s response was clinical from the start, even after losing two wickets in the power play. Beth Mooney anchored the chase with authority, while Ashleigh Gardner provided the finishing strength as the pair stitched an unbeaten 63-run stand in just 37 balls to take Australia home comfortably.

“We wanted to do it as quickly as possible,” captain Sophie Molineux said after the match. “Moons and Volly were clinical in batting to get us away and calm the nerves in the dressing room. It was really good to see.”

MOONEY AND GARDNER DISASSEMBLE CHASE

Beth Mooney led the charge with a brilliant 61 off 36 deliveries, scoring her eighth T20 World Cup half-century and equaling New Zealand’s Suzie Bates for the highest in the history of the tournament. Her innings set the tone for a controlled but ruthless pursuit.

Gardner again proved decisive in the knockout match, hitting an unbeaten 35 off 20 balls and pacing the scoring with clean, calculated hitting. Together, the duo ensured that Australia never allowed the required pace to become a factor as they scored well above nine runs per over in most of the chases.

Even Ellyse Perry’s brief exit from the field due to minor quad pain didn’t disrupt Australia’s rhythm too much, with the result effectively decided by the time she left.

WEST INDIES Falter AFTER Promising Start

West Indies showed early intent through Matthews and Qian Joseph, but the innings quickly unraveled after the over. Joseph struggled to find timing as wickets in bunches stalled. A late cameo from the injured Deandra Dottin helped push the total past 120, but it remained well below par on a good hitting surface.

Australia’s bowlers set the tone with disciplined lines and smart fielding, preventing the West Indies from building any sustained pressure despite a brief resistance at the top. Ashleigh Gardner also played with the ball and finished with impressive figures of 2 for 13 from her four overs. Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham also scored twice, while Annabel Sutherland chipped in with one. Gardner proved clinical for Australia with both bat and ball (Photo ICC)

RUTHLESS AUSTRALIA EYE RECORD SEVENTH TITLE

Australia extended their remarkable record in women’s ICC events with the win, reaching their eighth T20 World Cup final in 10 editions and reasserting their dominance in knock-out cricket.

They have now lost just three ICC knockout matches since 2009, underscoring their consistency in high-pressure games, while their batting depth has once again proved decisive on the big stage.

Gardner’s all-round influence also stood out, earning another Player of the Match award and continuing his reputation as a clutch player in the semi-finals and final.

Australia will now face either England or South Africa in the final at Lord’s, confident of extending their dynasty in women’s T20 cricket after another impressive performance.

– The end

Published on:

30 Jun 2026 23:57 IST