Australia have stormed into the T20 World Cup final, producing another scintillating show with bat and ball to see off West Indies by eight wickets at The Oval.
A superb bowling display led by spinners Ashleigh Gardner (2-13), Georgia Wareham (2-17) and Sophie Molineux (2-30) restricted the West Indies to 7-125 after Australia elected to chase in the first semi-final.
Beth Mooney then ensured the result was never in doubt, hammering an unbeaten 61 from 36 deliveries, supported by Gardner’s 20-ball 35 not out, as Australia reached their target of 126 with seven overs to spare.
The only blemish on a near-perfect day for Australia was an injury concern for Ellyse Perry, who retired on two, having faced seven deliveries, due to quad ‘awareness’.
Captain Sophie Molineux later confirmed it was a precautionary move and Perry would have returned to the middle if required.
Australia now have the luxury of a four-day break before Sunday’s final at Lord’s against either England or South Africa.
After missing the finals of the 2024 (T20) and 2025 (ODI) World Cups following shock semi defeats, Australia were clinical against West Indies to book their eighth appearance in a women’s T20 World Cup decider.
Biggest win in terms of balls remaining in a Women’s T20 World Cup knock-out match:
42 AUS v WI, 2026 semi-final
29 AUS v ENG, 2014 final
29 AUS v ENG, 2018 final
19 ENG v SA, 2014 semi-final#T20WorldCup https://t.co/QarNnIaJ7v— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 30, 2026
“(I’m) looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonight,” Molineux said following the match.
“We’ll make sure to celebrate what’s been a pretty cool couple of weeks for the group and then just rest and recover ahead of the weekend.
“With the T20 World Cup, you just have to ride it … it’s full of momentum swings.
“But I’ve really enjoyed it, the group has really enjoyed it, and I think that’s the important thing.”
The most dramatic moment of the day came before a ball was bowled when Deandra Dottin had to be carried from the field by her teammates after falling ill – with what captain Hayley Matthews later described as a “medical emergency” – during the national anthems.
That meant the powerful allrounder did not come out to bat at No.5 as listed but eventually recovered to walk to the middle in the 16th over with the Windies 6-83, hitting four boundaries in her 16-ball 26no to help push their total above 120.
Australia’s spinners led the way in tying down the West Indies batters in an innings that featured 55 dot balls.
The Windies’ hopes were always going to rest largely on the shoulders of Matthews, and she stated her intentions immediately, dispatching left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton to the boundary first ball and at one point had raced to 20 off 12.
But Australia tied down the West Indies captain after the Powerplay and the pressure paid off, as Georgia Wareham struck with her first ball, bowling Matthews with a straight one to end her innings on 30 from 28 deliveries.
Qiana Joseph had been dotted up at the other end, labouring her way to six from 16 balls before she was given a life when Georgia Voll put down a simple chance on the boundary.
The opener broke the shackles with a huge six down the ground off the bowling of Annabel Sutherland, but it was short-lived as she picked out Gardner at deep square leg to depart for 16 off 22 in the 10th over.
From 0-47 in the ninth over, the Windies slipped to 4-59 in the 11th as Stafanie Taylor (0) and Jahzara Claxton (0) both fell to soft dismissals from the same Gardner over.
Spin continued to do the job as Molineux and Wareham accounted for Shemaine Campbelle (22) and Chinelle Henry (11).
Dottin’s delayed arrival injected sorely needed impetus into the Windies’ innings, with 34 runs coming from the final three overs to lift the total to 7-125.
Voll then signalled that Australia would not be content with merely ticking down the runs required when she dispatched Henry over the deep midwicket boundary in the first over of the chase.
She hit two more boundaries off the Windies quick’s second over, first ramping her before following up with a powerful drive down the ground, but Henry hit back when she bowled the 22-year-old for 16.
Phoebe Litchfield was out lbw on review after mistiming an attempt to reverse sweep off Matthews, but the West Indies’ attack made no further inroads as Mooney took control.
By the end of the Powerplay, Australia were already halfway to their target and not even the loss of leading run-scorer Perry retired hurt could disrupt their charge into the final.
Mooney struck eight boundaries on her way to a 29-ball half-century, while Gardner picked up where she had left off with the bat against India, hitting four fours and a six as Australia locked in their date at Lord’s.
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 Group 1 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 v South Africa, The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5 (12:30am July 6 AEST)
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
