Sophie Molineux has hailed Beth Mooney as the “smartest cricketer” she has played with, after the Australian opener once again thrived under the pressure of a high-stakes final.
The left-hander had arrived at this tournament with a renewed focus on attacking the Powerplay, and she carried that into the final, taking on England spearhead Lauren Bell – the leading wicket-taker at Lord’s in women’s T20s – and dispatching her for 16 runs including three boundaries off her second over.
Leading the charge alongside Phoebe Litchfield as Australia raced to 1-62 off the Powerplay before England’s biggest threat Sophie Ecclestone had even bowled an over, Mooney’s 49-ball 64 ensured a successful chase was never in doubt.
“Moons is incredible,” Molineux said. “She’s built the finals, she is so incredibly consistent, and I think her game’s gotten better over the last few months.
“She plays with this freedom, but at the same time she’s probably the smartest cricketer I ever played with.
“The way she can sum up situations and be able to grind out innings, and at the same time, like today, she has got all the shots and is able to play freely, and she’s got nerves of steel moves, and I think it’s been so cool to see her really flourish over the last few months.
“She’s a leader in this group. The girls listen when she speaks, and she’s the backbone of our batting group, and her behind the stumps was just next level today.”
England, clearly aware of the threat Mooney posed, mixed up their new-ball combination for the first time in the tournament.
Instead of sticking to left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who had been key to their starts in the Powerplay, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt instead threw the ball to off-spinner Charlie Dean as a match-up to the left-handed Mooney.
“I figured it was to try and get me out pretty early in the game,” Mooney said post-match.
“One of the best pieces of advice I’ve got from a coach before is that I should wear it as a badge of honour that people have to plan and come up with new ideas against me, and I should be really privileged to be in that position.
“I thought Georgia Voll played that first ball beautifully, and just hit it down the ground, really set the tone.”
Sunday’s heroics at Lord’s only enhanced Mooney’s already robust reputation as a player who stands up on the biggest stages.
When she was eventually out lbw on review by Sophie Ecclestone with Australia already in touching distance of victory, it was the first time she had been dismissed in a T20 World Cup final since Antigua in 2018.
At the MCG in 2020, Mooney plundered an unbeaten 78 from 54 deliveries in front of 86,174 fans, and in Cape Town in 2023 she again anchored Australia’s innings with 74 not out from 53 balls.
The 32-year-old was duly crowned player of the match at Lord’s, then player of the tournament finishing with 238 runs at 47.6 with a strike rate of 142.51 – despite retiring hurt against the Netherlands with back soreness – and capping a dominant World Cup that also saw her claim five catches in her first full-time campaign with the gloves. She is the first player two be named player of the tournament at a T20 World Cup twice, having also won the award in 2020.
From the four major T20I finals she has played in the past six years, Mooney has scored 277 runs at 138.50, including four half-centuries, having also scored 61 off 43 against India in the Commonwealth Games gold medal match in 2022.
Beth Mooney in T20 Finals
2016 World Cup: DNB
2018 World Cup: 14 (15b, 1×4)
2020 World Cup: 78* (54b, 10×4)
2022 Comm Games: 61 (41b, 8×4)
2023 World Cup: 74* (53b, 9×4, 1×6)
2026 World Cup: 64 (49b, 10×4)
While Mooney shrugged off the praise from Molineux, she did joke that she had suggested to coach Shelley Nitschke that perhaps she should only play in finals from here on out.
“I’m a bit of a fraud, to be honest,” the ever-humble opener said.
“I don’t look at any of the analyst packs. I don’t hit a ball the day of the game until I walk out into the middle.
“I try and keep it nice and simple, and try and stay nice and calm.
“I don’t get too up or down when things are going well or poorly.
“So it’s a great compliment from Soph, but I think I’m a little bit of a fraud … I think I just enjoy the contest, enjoy getting better and evolving my game, and enjoy contributing to team success, whatever team that.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s fixtures
June 13: beat South Africa by 65 runs
June 17: beat Bangladesh by nine wickets
June 20: beat Netherlands by 98 runs
June 24: beat Pakistan by 113 runs
June 28: beat India by six wickets
Semi-final 1: Australia beat West Indies by eight wickets
(Semi-final 2: England beat South Africa by 40 runs)
Final: Australia beat England by seven wickets
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches available to replay on Amazon’s Prime Video
