Australia Secure ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final Spot With Commanding Semi-Final Victory

Australia booked their place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final with an eight‑wicket win over the West Indies in the first semi‑final at The Oval on Tuesday. The six‑time champions returned to the final after a three‑year hiatus, following their 2024 miss, and maintained an unbeaten record in the tournament.

Australia restricted the West Indies to 125 for seven, then chased the target down in just 13 overs to finish on 127 for two. Beth Mooney led the reply with an unbeaten 61 off 36 balls, while Ash Gardner contributed an unbeaten 35. They will now face the winner of the second semi‑final between England and South Africa in Sunday’s final.

West Indies Start Strong but Lose Momentum

Before the match, the West Indies faced a brief injury scare when Deandra Dottin was assisted off the field by her teammates. Head coach Shane Deitz indicated the issue was medical, though Dottin later returned to bat and contributed a valuable late innings under pressure.

Asked to bat, the West Indies got off to a solid start as Hayley Matthews drove through the covers for a boundary. She and Qiana Joseph added 47 runs for the first wicket, though Australia kept the scoring in check during the powerplay, limiting the duo to 35 runs after six overs.

Australia Finish with Ease

The West Indies slipped to 83 for six before Dottin mounted a fight‑back, scoring 26 off 16 balls with four fours and helping add 17 runs in the final two overs. Ash Gardner led Australia’s bowling with 2 for 13, while Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux each took two wickets.

Australia maintained control during the chase despite losing Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield early. Mooney anchored the innings with eight fours, and after Ellyse Perry retired hurt as a precaution, Gardner sealed the game with a six followed by four fours in her brisk unbeaten 35.

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