Opener overtakes partner Georgia Voll into top spot after a dominant knockout stage in Australia’s T20 World Cup win
Beth Mooney’s barnstorming finish to Australia’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign has seen her return to the top of the ICC women’s T20 batter rankings.
Mooney was named player of the final for her 64 off 49 balls to help defeat hosts England at Lord’s on Sunday and was also crowned player of the tournament.
The left-handed opener was also on song in Australia’s semi-final win over West Indies, top scoring again with 61 not out. She hit 74no against Netherlands earlier in the tournament, finishing as the second highest run-scorer for the World Cup behind England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge (302) with 238 runs at 47.6.
It saw the 32-year-old overtake opening partner Georgia Voll into top spot on the ICC batter rankings, with her younger teammate having occupied the No.1 position since scoring her maiden T20I century in Australia’s series sweep of West Indies in March.
Voll remains in second spot with a rating of 779, behind Mooney (785) and ahead of South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (771).
Mooney, Australia’s all-time leading scorer in women’s T20 internationals, starts her fifth stint as the ICC’s No.1 batter in the format having last held top spot prior to Voll before she was knocked off the summit for the first time in 26 months.
Only Karen Rolton has occupied the spot for longer than Mooney, who has spent more than four years at number one.
While Mooney started the T20 World Cup slowly, it was in the knockout matches where she enhanced her reputation as a player who’s at her best on the biggest stages.
Her knock to down England by seven wickets on Sunday took her tally to 291 runs at an average of 97 in global T20 finals having previously scored 74no in the 2023 World Cup win over South Africa, 61 to edge India for Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 and 78no to again defeat India in the 2020 World Cup decider in front of 86,174 fans at the MCG.
This year was Mooney’s fourth T20 World Cup win and the team’s seventh title overall.
“‘Moons’ is incredible,” Aussie captain Sophie Molineux said. “She’s built for 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’ve ever played with. She’s got nerves of steel, ‘Moons’, and I think it’s been so cool to see her really flourish over the last few months.”
In the bowler rankings, Kim Garth’s economical spell in the World Cup final (1-20 off four overs) earned her a five-slot rise to 15th position, while South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp has moved back into the top 10 after a fine effort in their semi-final loss to England.
Other notable movers included Ashleigh Gardner (up two places to 20th) and Molineux (up 21 places to 66th) after leading Australia’s wickets tally for the tournament with 11.
The tournament’s top wicket-taker, India’s left-arm spinner Sree Charani with 13, has maintained her stranglehold at the top of the ICC’s T20 bowler rankings with a 36-point lead over second place (759 to 723).
England’s Sophie Ecclestone has leapfrogged teammate Charlie Dean to second spot after taking a wicket in each of the semi-final and final.
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
