- Australia defeated England by 7 wickets, winning T20 World Cup.
- Mooney (64), Litchfield (48) anchored record chase for victory.
- Ellyse Perry made history, claiming ninth ICC tournament trophy.
Ellyse Perry ICC Titles Record: The Australian women’s cricket team has reestablished its absolute dominance on the world stage by clinching the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 title. In a highly anticipated grand final at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, Australia completely dismantled arch-rivals England, winning the match comfortably by 7 wickets. While the victory marked a record-extending seventh T20 World Cup crown for the formidable Australian squad, it also served as the backdrop for a massive individual milestone.
Legendary all-rounder Ellyse Perry created cricket history by becoming the first ever player male or female to win 9 major ICC tournament trophies, cementing her legacy as arguably the greatest cricketer of the modern era.
Disciplined Bowling Restricts England Early On
Winning the toss, Australian captain Sophie Molineux elected to bowl first on a favorable Lord’s surface.
The decision paid immediate dividends as Australia’s bowling attack put immense pressure on the English openers right from the start.
In just the second over of the match, young prodigy Lucy Hamilton provided the initial breakthrough by dismissing Amy Jones.
Shortly after, Annabel Sutherland removed the dangerous, in-form opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge for just 8 runs, leaving England reeling inside the Powerplay. England’s captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, anchored the innings with a hard-fought half-century, scoring 58 runs off 53 deliveries.
However, Australia’s disciplined line and length prevented her from breaking free, keeping her strike rate hovering just above 100.
Late in the innings, Freya Kemp provided much-needed acceleration, smashing a quickfire 44 off 28 balls to push England’s final score to a respectable 150/4.
For Australia, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Sophie Molineux, and Annabel Sutherland picked up one wicket apiece, while Perry was not required to bowl.
Blistering Partnership Defuses the Target
Chasing a target of 151 runs to secure the championship, Australia suffered an early hiccup when young opener Georgia Voll fell for 9 in the second over to Lauren Bell.
However, any hopes of an English comeback were quickly extinguished by a masterclass partnership between the experienced Beth Mooney and young sensation Phoebe Litchfield.
The duo targeted the boundary ropes effortlessly, putting together an explosive 100-run partnership off just 67 deliveries. Litchfield played a highly aggressive hand, smashing 6 fours and 2 massive sixes to finish with 48 off 35 balls, narrowly missing out on a well-deserved half-century.
Meanwhile, Beth Mooney anchored the chase brilliantly, compiling a match-winning 64 off 49 balls, complete with 10 elegant boundaries.
This marked Mooney’s third half-century in a T20 World Cup final follwing her stellar performances in the 2020 and 2023 editions ultimately earning her both the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament awards.
Historic Finish for Ellyse Perry
Following the dismissals of Litchfield and Mooney with victory well in sight, Ellyse Perry walked out to the middle to ensure there were no late twists. Perry played a composed, unbeaten cameo, scoring 13 runs off 12 balls.
Australia comfortably crossed the finish line at 153/3 with 17 balls to spare, completing the highest-ever successful run chase in a Women’s T20 World Cup final.
As the winning runs were hit, Perry remained unbeaten on the pitch, officially celebrating her 9th ICC trophy triumph a truly unparalleled feat in international cricket.
