Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

Australia produced a statement group-closing win that eliminated India and advanced South Africa into the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup on Monday (AEST).

Australia look primed for a seventh crown in 10 World Cups after blowing away India by six wickets with an over to spare at a packed Lord’s.

India had to win to overtake South Africa for the last semi-final spot.

But half-centuries by Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner in a 100-run partnership off 59 balls powered Australia to victory in front of an India-heavy crowd of 27,163, a second record attendance for a World Cup group match in 24 hours.

“Pez (Perry) said that 170 (India’s total) is very, very gettable,” Australian captain Sophie Molineux said.

“She was good to go out there and chase it down with Ash. Those two batted beautifully.”

On the same pitch earlier, South Africa laboured past Bangladesh by four wickets and waited for India’s fate.

In the semi-finals, Australia will play the West Indies on Tuesday and England will face South Africa on Thursday, both at The Oval.

Perry and Gardner explode

India were riding confidence from winning the ODI World Cup last November, followed by a rare T20 series victory in Australia.

And halfway through the Lord’s match, India were on track.

Shafali Verma blasted off, though Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues scored at a run-a-ball pace. Rodrigues perhaps sacrificed herself too late in the 19th over to bring in the big-hitting Richa Ghosh.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was leading India’s charge and smashed three consecutive sixes in a 23-run last over to set up a competitive 4-170 total. Kaur’s 27-ball 56 was her fifth 50 against Australia in T20 World Cups.

Bowling is India’s strength and the attack reduced Australia to 3-68 in the 10th over.

Australia eventually needed 62 runs from 36 balls when Gardner and Perry exploded. They took 16 runs from Shree Charani, 12 from Verma and then 17 from Renuka Singh to slash the asking rate to a cruisy 17 from 18 balls.

Perry reached her 50 from 33 balls followed by Gardner from 29. On the brink of victory, Perry was out on 56 to hand Charani her tournament-leading 14th wicket.

Gardner was 53 not out at a winning 4-172.

South Africa do it the hard way

South Africa played their part on the day by beating Bangladesh.

By coincidence, the best batters on both teams were out to the first ball of each innings. Juairiya Ferdous swung at and missed Marizanne Kapp and gave the South African pacer her 100th T20 wicket. South African captain Laura Wolvaardt was bowled between bat and pad by Marufa Akter. A pair of opening ducks had happened only once before at a T20 World Cup, in 2018 between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh chose to bat and made only 5-117 in the face of quality bowling by Kapp (1-9), Shabnim Ismail (1-15) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (2-22).

Sobhana Mostary top-scored for Bangladesh with 42 and captain Nigar Sultana was 32 not out off 20 to become the team’s leading tournament scorer.

Annerie Dercksen and Tazmin Brits gave South Africa a better start but wickets fell regularly enough to make the chasers sweat. Dercksen was caught behind in the 15th over, Kapp was run out in the 18th and Nadine de Klerk fell in the 19th.

It took Chloe Tryon to grab the win with two miscued shots.

“We seem to always do this but we take the win,” Kapp said. “A win is a win. Even if it was very scrappy.”

Awful day for Indian cricket

-- Lachlan Harper

The loss for India in the World Cup was compounded by the men’s side losing against Ireland again on Monday (AEST).

The two-match T20 series ended 2-0 in favour of the Irish, marking a historical moment for the country.

Ireland’s second victory was a thrilling one-run result after the hosts batted first in Belfast.

The hosts finished at 8-154 with Harry Tector top-scoring on 53.

When it came to bowling, Jai Moondra and Matt Hollard dismantled the Indian batting line-up with three-wicket hauls as the visitors could only manage 9-153.

The loss was India’s first T20 bilateral series defeat since 2023.

“It’s hard to describe ... It’s an amazing feeling. I’m still trying to process it,” player of the series Moondra said.

India needed eight runs to win off the last two balls after Tilak Varma’s 55 brought them close to the target. Harshit Rana was caught on the second-last delivery to seal victory before Prince Yadav hit a consolation six to end the match.

“Kudos to (Ireland), the way they played. Showed professionalism, and had a tremendous idea of how the wicket was going to play,” Shreyas Iyer said.

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