Seventh heaven for Aussies: Australia chase record target to secure seventh Women’s T20 World Cup

Phoebe Litchfield of Australia bowls as Amy Jones of England during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final between England and Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5, 2026 in London, England. (Photo/Getty Images) Australia continued their dominance in women’s T20 cricket as they defeated England by seven wickets to claim a record seventh ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title at Lord’s in London on Sunday.Chasing 151, the highest target ever set in a Women’s T20 World Cup final, Australia reached 153/3 in 17.1 overs to complete the job with 17 balls to spare.The chase was built on Beth Mooney, who made 64 off 49 balls with 10 fours, and Phoebe Litchfield, who scored 48 off 35 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes.Mooney and Litchfield supercharged the chase from the second to the 13th in a partnership of 100 runs off 67 balls.Litchfield fell 34 runs short of victory and Mooney was 11 runs out from the inevitable end for her third match-winning fifty in the last three Australian finals.England dismissed the well-placed Mooney in the 16th over, trapped lbw by Sophie Ecclestone, but Australia’s batting depth meant nothing changed the result. The winning runs came in an unusual way when Ecclestone bowled five wides in the 18th over. The winning runs in the middle were overseen by 17 balls to the good of another stalwart, Ellyse Perry, who won her seventh World T20 trophy.Earlier, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 58 off 53 balls while Freya Kemp added an unbeaten 44 off 28 balls to help England post 150/4 after being asked to bat first.The pair rescued England with an 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket after the Australian bowlers kept the score in check for most of the innings.Sciver-Brunt hit five fours while Kemp four boundaries and one six.Australian captain Sophie Molineux opted to bowl first and her decision paid off as the bowling attack restricted England despite the absence of Perry, who was sidelined through injury.England managed just two sixes from their 20 overs, with one each coming from Alice Capsey and Kemp.Australia’s spin attack, led by Molineux (1/32) and Georgia Wareham (0/9 in two overs), controlled the middle overs, while Kim Garth and Annabel Sutherland also kept the pressure on with disciplined bowling and changes of pace.Short Score:England Women: 150/4 (20 overs)Australia Women: 153/3 (17.1 overs)