Australia Beat England by Seven Wickets at Lord's to Win Seventh T20 World Cup

BENGALURU — The Australian women's national cricket team secured a record seventh ICC Women's T20 World Cup title on Sunday, defeating arch-rivals England by seven wickets in the final at Lord's in the United Kingdom. The dominant victory ended a rare three-year drought of ICC trophies for Australia, reinforcing their long-standing supremacy in international cricket.

Led by skipper Sophie Molineux, the Australian squad navigated the tournament unbeaten. They registered five consecutive wins in the group stage, dismantled the West Indies in the semifinal, and delivered a clinical performance against England in the final to claim the championship.

The tournament marked Australia's first major challenge under the leadership of Molineux, who took over the captaincy ahead of teammates Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner. Despite initial doubts and battling through injuries, Molineux finished the tournament as Australia's highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps.

Reflecting on her journey, Molineux noted the challenges of taking over the reins. "When I did miss those games at the start after just being announced captain, it probably made me feel like it might not work out. But I’ve learnt over my journey that you just have to keep believing," she said.

In the final, Beth Mooney was named both player of the final and player of the tournament. The 32-year-old scored a fluent 64 on Sunday, marking her third half-century in a T20 World Cup final. Mooney finished the tournament with 238 runs at an average of 47.60.

Several other players made significant contributions throughout the campaign. Ellyse Perry scored 198 runs at an average of 49.50, which included a key knock of 56 against India. Gardner averaged 50 while striking at 170.45. Youngsters Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield also made their marks, while Kim Garth, Georgia Wareham, and all-rounder Annabel Sutherland contributed with ball and bat.

The victory at Lord's adds a seventh T20 World Cup to Australia's trophy cabinet alongside their seven ODI World Cups, solidifying their legacy since their first title in 2010.