Australia's women have reclaimed the T20 World Cup, defeating England by seven wickets at Lord's to secure a record seventh title and stake a claim among the sport's all-time great teams. The dominant victory, played in front of a sell-out crowd of nearly 29,000, capped an unbeaten tournament for captain Sophie Molineux's side.
The chase of England's 4-150 was anchored by a crucial 100-run partnership between Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield. Mooney was instrumental, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 49 balls, a performance that earned her player of the match and player of the tournament honors. Litchfield contributed 48 off 35 balls, including a notable switch-hit six.
Australia's performance was characterized by control, first strangling England with their bowling and then executing an aggressive batting strategy to reach the target with 17 balls to spare. England captain Nat Sciver acknowledged Australia's depth, stating that "the amount of depth they have is something every team would dream of."
Captain Sophie Molineux, who replaced Alyssa Healy and guided the team through an undefeated campaign, expressed pride in her squad. "I'm just so, so proud of the group," she said. "We haven't won one of these for a while, I hope it becomes one of the great sides."
One moment of contention arose in the latter stages of the match when Ellyse Perry, who was at the crease on 13 not out, appeared to be caught by Sophie Ecclestone. Following a lengthy review, the third umpire could not find sufficient evidence of a clean catch, allowing Perry to continue. The decision prompted an animated reaction from Ecclestone and boos from the crowd.
This victory marks the end of a rare period without a global trophy for Australia in either T20 or 50-over formats since their last T20 World Cup win in 2023. The result also extends England's losing streak against Australia in Women's World Cup 'Ashes' finals to seven consecutive matches. Phoebe Litchfield remarked on the team's legacy, stating, "This legacy of Australian cricket will go on for decades."