T20 Cricket World Cup 2026: Australia vs West Indies

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• Australia and West Indies met in a blockbuster semi-final at The Oval, London, with a place in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final at stake. Australia entered the contest as the defending champions and tournament favourites after remaining unbeaten throughout the competition, while West Indies reached the knockout stage on the back of several resilient performances led by captain Hayley Matthews. ^ICC

Australia's strength lay in their depth across all departments. Their batting lineup featured experienced campaigners such as Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner, while their bowling attack—led by Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham and Megan Schutt—had consistently restricted opponents throughout the tournament. Their ability to adapt to different conditions and perform under pressure made them one of the strongest sides in world cricket. ^{ABC News, Cricket Australia}

West Indies relied heavily on the brilliance of captain Hayley Matthews, one of the tournament's standout all-rounders, alongside the explosive Deandra Dottin. The Caribbean side hoped their power-hitting and athletic fielding could challenge Australia's disciplined approach, but they needed a complete team performance to upset the six-time champions. ^myKhel

The key battles centered on Australia's disciplined bowling against West Indies' aggressive top order. Beth Mooney's consistency at the top of the order was expected to be crucial for Australia, while Matthews and Dottin carried much of West Indies' batting responsibility. Spin was also expected to play an important role during the middle overs on the Oval surface. ^{Cricket World, myKhel}

Australia ultimately justified their favourites tag with a commanding performance. After restricting West Indies to 125/7, they comfortably chased down the target with 127/2, winning by with seven overs to spare. Beth Mooney starred with an unbeaten 61, while Ashleigh Gardner finished the chase with an unbeaten 35. The victory secured Australia's place in an eighth Women's T20 World Cup final, where they advanced to face England for the championship. ^{ABC News, ICC}

Sources: ^{ICC, Cricket Australia, myKhel}

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