Australia defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the first semi final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, chasing down 126 in just 13 overs. The six time champions will face England or South Africa in Sunday final at Lord's.
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| Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner celebrate Australia semi final win over West Indies ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. |
Australia women's cricket team delivered a near flawless performance to book their spot in the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, defeating West Indies by eight wickets in the first semi final at The Oval, London.
How the Match Unfolded
Batting first after losing the toss, West Indies were restricted to 125 for 7 in their 20 overs, with Hayley Matthews top scoring on 30 and Deandra Dottin adding an unbeaten 26. Australia bowling attack was disciplined throughout, with Ashleigh Gardner taking 2 for 13, while Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux picked up two wickets each.
West Indies endured a nervous start even before a ball was bowled. Their experienced batter Deandra Dottin had to leave the field after sustaining an injury shortly after the national anthem. Despite the scare, she returned to the middle later in the innings and played a crucial hand in lifting her side total.
Australia Chase: Mooney Leads the Way
Chasing a modest target of 126, Australia never looked troubled. Beth Mooney unbeaten 61 off just 36 balls guided the team home with seven overs to spare, finishing at 127 for 2. Mooney found strong support from Gardner, who backed up her bowling heroics with an aggressive knock. Gardner remained not out on 35 off 20 balls, striking the winning boundary to seal the victory.
The only hiccup for Australia came when star all rounder Ellyse Perry retired hurt due to a minor injury concern, but the depth of the batting lineup meant the chase was never in doubt.
A Dominant Road to the Final
This win extends Australia unbeaten run in the tournament. The defending champions topped their group with a perfect record, winning all five matches, including a record breaking chase against India that also ended host nation England semi final hopes.
West Indies, by contrast, had a rockier path to the last four. They won their opening three group games before losing back to back matches to England and Ireland, eventually sneaking into the semi finals on net run rate.
With this result, Australia record six time champions will now play their eighth final in ten editions of the tournament.
What's Next: The Road to Lord's
The second semi final between England and South Africa will be played at the same venue, The Oval, with the winner set to face Australia in the summit clash. The final will be held on Sunday at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground in London.
Australia will enter the final as heavy favourites given their unbeaten campaign, but the tournament has already shown that upsets are possible on any given day as seen with West Indies unlikely route to the semis despite two group stage defeats.
Why This Matters for Women's Cricket
This semi final result reinforces Australia status as the most dominant force in women's T20 cricket over the past decade. Their consistency built on depth in both batting and bowling continues to set the benchmark for other nations chasing the world title. For fans and aspiring cricketers alike, matches like this highlight the growing competitiveness and global reach of the women's game, with record crowds and broadcast audiences following the tournament closely.