An impressive all-round show by Ash Gardner headlined Australia’s eight-wicket victory over West Indies
Australia punched their ticket into the final of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a dominant performance against the West Indies in the first semi-final at The Oval on Tuesday.
The six-time champions registered an eight-wicket win to return to the final after three years, having missed out in 2024.
With the stakes high, Australia put in their most complete performance so far to maintain their unbeaten run in the 2026 edition. After restricting the West Indies to 125/7, Beth Mooney led Australia’s charge as they chased down the total in 13 overs, finishing at 127/2.
Before the start of the match, West Indies had an injury scare as Deandra Dottin was carried off the field by her teammates. According to head coach Shane Deitz, it was due to a “medical issue.”
With her team in trouble, however, the star player showed up with the bat.
Put into bat, West Indies were off to a perfect start as Hayley Matthews punched the ball through the covers for four. Though their captain looked fluent, Australia kept Qiana Joseph at the other end quiet to hold the Caribbean side to 35/0 in powerplay.
Matthews and Joseph put on an opening stand of 47, however it wasn’t quick enough. Australia suffocated their opponents for runs and were rewarded with the wicket of Hayley Matthews, who was bowled by Georgia Wareham on her first ball of the innings.
Matthews top-scored with 30, but her wicket triggered a mid-innings collapse as West Indies slipped from 47/1 to 59/4.
Two wickets in the 11th over by Ash Gardner, as she snapped up power hitters Stafanie Taylor and Jahzara Claxton, swung the momentum decisively in Australia’s favour.
With Australia keeping up the pressure, West Indies were reduced to 83/6, bringing Dottin to the crease.
And Dottin made it count, as she used power and innovation to strike four fours and score 26 runs in just 16 balls. Dottin helped West Indies gather 17 runs in the last two overs to give them a whiff.
It was another impressive bowling performance by the Aussies, with only one player conceding over eight runs an over. Gardner led the line with 2/13 in her four overs, while Wareham and Sophie Molineux chipped in with two wickets each.
They were relentless in pursuit as well.
Though Australia lost the wickets of Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield along the way, they were in complete control. Mooney anchored the chase with an unbeaten 61 off 36 balls, with the help of eight fours.
Once Ellyse Perry was retired hurt, as a precautionary measure, Gardner picked up the reigns, never let her foot off the gas as she struck a six and four fours for a quickfire 35 not out.
Impressive with the ball earlier in the day, Gardner finished it off in style as she whipped the ball past deep square leg for a boundary.
In Sunday’s championship clash at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, they will take on the winner of the second semi-final between England and South Africa.
