Conquering the world for the sixth time in a row, the Aussie women bagged the Women’s World T20 after another clinical display in the finale, thumping the hosts handsomely.
Winning the toss, the Australian captain, Meg Lanning opted to bat and despite another early departure for Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney continued with his excellent form alongside a steady knock from Ashleigh Gardner to help the reigning champions on their way to glory.
The duo piled up 46 runs for the second wicket before the Proteas could throw in a spanner with a flurry of quick dents that saw Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris and Meg Lanning departing shortly. Despite all the glitz and glam that Australia usually brings to the platter, if there was one woman who stood tall under the pump was Beth Mooney who almost single-handedly steered the Australian ship and did that in style.
At the end of 20, Australia managed to pile up 156 on the cards at the loss of 6, courtesy of Mooney’s unbeaten 74 from just 53 balls that saw her clobbering 9 fours and a six, smashing the cherry at a staggering strike rate of 139.62. Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp were the pick of the bowling lot for South Africa, plundering 4 wickets between them.
South Africa got off to an absolute belter that saw Laura Wolvaardt pulling the strings from one end but the Australian bowlers knowing which end to target, delivered the payload handsomely. Despite the phenomenal striking from one end, the other was left vulnerable and the Aussies came steaming in, claiming wickets at regular intervals until Chloe Tyron put in a staunch shift to keep the contest alive. Despite Laura Wolvaardt’s reckoning knock, it was not to be for the South Africans as they fell short of the hallowed total by 19 runs with the Aussie bowling pack pulling off an act of collective brilliance that saw Australia emerge as the winners of the prestigious crown of the world for a record 6th time.
