Australia cruises past West Indies into Women’s T20 World Cup final

Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 61 and Ashleigh Gardner’s brisk 35 carried Australia into the Women’s T20 World Cup final with an eight-wicket victory over West Indies at The Oval. Australia chased 126 in 13 overs, finishing with 42 balls to spare after West Indies were held to 125 for 7.

The semifinal never really threatened to become a contest once Australia’s attack had done its work. West Indies, who entered the knockout stage with a reputation for a fearless approach, could not turn that energy into a defending total, and Australia’s spinners helped limit the innings to a score that never looked comfortable enough for a team with this much batting depth. Mooney then anchored the chase, while Gardner attacked around her, turning the target into a routine passage rather than a pressure chase.

The result sent Australia into its eighth Women’s T20 World Cup final and its first in three years, after missing out in 2024. Australia are six-time champions, with titles in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023, a record that shows how often the side arrives at the business end of the tournament with its best cricket still intact. That pattern was visible again in this tournament, where Australia also produced a commanding group-stage win over India at Lord’s on June 28 before turning up the intensity in London for the semifinal.

For West Indies, the loss revived an old frustration. Their only Women’s T20 World Cup title came in 2016, when they beat Australia by eight wickets at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the final. This semifinal carried a rematch feel, but the gap between the sides was clear once West Indies stalled at 125 for 7 and Australia began its chase with control rather than caution.

The final at Lord’s on July 5 now offers Australia another chance to extend a championship machine that keeps renewing itself through depth, discipline and tournament experience. West Indies leave The Oval with proof that they can unsettle opponents in patches, but Australia again showed how little margin there is when a rival cannot match its pace, batting order and composure under knockout pressure.