Women’s T20 World Cup: HISTORIC! Australia win sixth T20 WC trophy beating South Africa by 19 runs

History was created in Cape Town on Sunday when Australia won their sixth ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title, beating South Africa by 19 runs. Playing their seventh successive T20 WC final, this was Southern Stars’ third trophy win on the trot.

The Meg Lanning-led team managed to come out on top after holding the nerves, the better of the two teams. The match ebbed and flowed throughout but it was Australia that played the big moments better. 

Chasing a stiff target of 157, South African openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits were not allowed by the Australian bowlers to run away with the game. The bowlers pulled their length back and bowled short of good length deliveries. 

Consequently, the hosts could only muster 22 runs in the first six overs. After Marizanne Kapp came to the crease, she stamped her authority instantly by cracking a beautiful cover drive past a packed offside ring. 

However, a slower ball from Gardner undid Kapp as she top-edged the ball to the short third man fielder who did not have to move an inch to pouch the dolly. 

Needing 105 runs in the final 10 overs, Wolvaardt stepped up on the gas and reached her fifty in 43 deliveries. Just when it appeared that the Proteas were cooking, Meghan Schutt, summoned to bowl the 17th over by skipper Meg Lanning, managed to trap Wolvaardt plumb in front of the stumps. 

Wolvaardt’s dismissal knocked the wind out of South Africa’s sails and they never managed to recover from thereon. Chloe Tryon belted a few lusty blows but could not get anywhere near the finishing line. 

Batting first, Australia were off the blocks in a sedate manner as Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney only scored 25 off the first four overs. Healy mistimed a forcing backfoot shot off the last ball of Kapp’s over and was caught at mid-off for 18.

Australia attempted to surprise the opposition by bringing Ashleigh Gardner and it worked decently well. She hit successive boundaries off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and successive sixes off medium-pacer Nadine de Klerk in the following over.

“I guess we’ve been longing for this moment since the last World Cup. We’ve played some fantastic cricket throughout the tournament and have come out on top. To be honest, probably the semi-finals. My role within the team is to change the game, with bat or ball,” said Gardner in the post-match presentation ceremony where she was adjudged the ‘Player of the Tournament’. 

On a sluggish pitch where batters were made to work hard for their runs, Beth Mooney stood out easily. She got stuck in and at the backend of the innings ensured that her side got close to the 160-run mark. She was declared the ‘Player of the Match’.