Australia Eliminate India with Record Chase at Lord's
Australia Women defeated India Women by six wickets in the final Group A match at Lord's on Sunday, knocking the Women in Blue out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Chasing 171, Australia completed the highest successful run chase in Women's T20 World Cup history, reaching 172/4 in 19 overs.
India entered the match needing a win to progress to the semi-finals, but Australia's unbeaten run in the tournament continued. With South Africa's earlier win over Bangladesh, India's elimination was confirmed. Australia advanced to the semi-finals as group leaders.
India's Innings: Harmanpreet's Blitz Sets Competitive Target
Winning the toss, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat first on a batting-friendly surface. Openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) provided a solid start, putting on 43/0 in the Powerplay. Shafali struck a six off Ashleigh Gardner, while Mandhana rotated the strike effectively.
Australia broke the opening stand in the ninth over through Sophie Molineux, with India at 74/1 after 10 overs. Mandhana was then run out in the 12th over, bringing Harmanpreet to the crease. She partnered with Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 34 off 28 balls before retiring hurt.
Harmanpreet accelerated in the final over, hitting three consecutive sixes off Molineux before being dismissed on the second-last ball. She scored 56 off 27 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Deepti Sharma struck a four on the only ball she faced as India added 23 runs in the last over to finish at 170/4.
Australia's Chase: Perry and Gardner Lead Record Pursuit
Renuka Singh Thakur gave India a dream start, trapping Georgia Voll lbw in the first over. However, Australia reached 49/1 in the Powerplay, marginally ahead of India's 43/0. Deepti Sharma then dismissed Beth Mooney, becoming the highest wicket-taker in women's international cricket with 356 wickets.
At 72/3 in 10 overs, Australia needed 99 runs from the remaining 10 overs. Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner then built a match-winning 100-run partnership. Perry scored a half-century, and Gardner also reached the milestone as the duo took Australia to 166/3 in 18 overs. They completed the chase in the 19th over, finishing at 172/4.
According to tournament records, this was the highest successful run chase in Women's T20 World Cup history. Australia's victory maintained their strong record in ICC events, while India's campaign ended with a group-stage defeat to South Africa earlier.
Key Performances and Records
Deepti Sharma's wicket of Mooney was a historic moment, as she surpassed the previous record for most international wickets in women's cricket. Harmanpreet Kaur's aggressive half-century was a highlight for India, but it was not enough to overcome Australia's depth.
The match was played in front of a star-studded crowd at Lord's, with strong support for both teams. India's elimination marks the end of their World Cup journey, while Australia remain unbeaten and advance to the semi-finals.
