Women’s World T20 final as it happened: Australia lift record fourth title with 8-wicket win
All the updates from the final of the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 between Australia and England.

Australia and England will meet in the final of the ICC Women’s World T20 for the third time. Preview
While Meg Lanning are aiming for a record fourth title, England will look to hold both T20I and ODI world titles at the same time, a feat they previously achieved in 2009.
And that’s a wrap from us on the live blog of the first standalone Women’s World T20 Live. To read more on the tournament, India’s run and Australia’s victory, follow our full coverage here. ICC Women’s World T20 2018.
Here are your 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 champions!
Congratulations @SouthernStars - #WT20 2018 champions! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5xos442Wo7
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 25, 2018
Ash Gardner is the Player of the final for her 3 for 22 and 33 off 26. Alyssa Healy, Player of the tournament for her 257 runs.
👉 First Indigenous Australian to play in a Cricket World Cup
— Sarah Styles (@SarahStylesAU) November 25, 2018
👉 First Indigenous Australian to WIN a @WorldT20
👉 And now Ash is Player of the Match in the Final!#superstarhttps://t.co/d5H0crp724
Ash Gardner's 3-22 were the best figures by a spinner in a Women's World T20 final and she equalled the record for most sixes hit in a Women's World T20 final (3). #WT20 https://t.co/nLsgvDcE2j
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) November 25, 2018
This is Australia’s fourth World T20 title in six editions. The undisputed world No 1 side didn’t hold the World Cup or World T20 for almost a year after a shock final loss to West Indies in 2016 and semi-finals in 2017. The slight is now rectified!
Women's World T20 titles:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) November 25, 2018
2009 - England
2010 - Australia
2012/13 - Australia
2013/14 - Australia
2015/16 - West Indies
2018/19 - Australia*#AUSvENG #WT20
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Huge congrats @SouthernStars. Calm & focused Lanning at the helm in the chase and truly deserved the win. Lots to be proud of for @englandcricket still and great to see youngsters standing up at different times during the tournament. #WWT20
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 25, 2018
Too good. Australia by a mile. #WT20 pic.twitter.com/BkVPd9avJc
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 25, 2018
Australia are World T20 champions for the fourth time!!
Captain Meg Lanning scores the winning run as the Southern Stars beat England by 8 wickets with 29 balls to spare! Domination!
End of Over 15, Australia 105/2
100 runs up for Australia as they miss the other target by just 1 run – winning the final within 15 overs! Scores level!
End of Over 14, Australia 97/2
A frugal over from Ecclestone but that’s 50-run partnership is up between Gardner and Lanning, clinical.
Fifty parrtnership for Lanning & Gardner.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) November 25, 2018
Meg Lanning has been involved in a fifty partnership in four consecutive World T20 finals. 🐐 #WT20
End of Over 13, Australia 93/2
Whoa! Two, massive sixes from Gardner in Gordon’s over, what short boundaries? 15 runs off the over as Australia continue to try and finish this is 15 overs.
End of Over 12, Australia 78/2
Captain Knight takes the ball herself but now Gardner has joined the party with a massive Six as England’s spinners continue to struggle to grip the ball with dew all around.
Too many loose deliveries when pressure has built up. Need to recognise those moments and be ruthless 🏴. Can’t afford to give Aussies anything. Lanning key - need her #ENGvAUS
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 25, 2018
End of Over 11, Australia 68/2
Lanning continues to try and win within 15 overs!
End of Over 10, Australia 60/2
Lanning in a hurry to lift the trophy! Gets 2 boundaries in Hazell’s over as Australia reach 60/2 at the halfway mark. Meanwhile, dew is adding on to English bowler’s problems.
End of Over 9, Australia 50/2
The 50 is up for Australia and they now need only 56 from 66 balls.
Barmy Army in full force here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium! 🏴
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) November 25, 2018
Australia 1-38 (6.3), needing 68 to win! #AUSvENG #WT20 pic.twitter.com/r5gZXuqtSY
Wicket!
Hazell strikes! Round the wicket, Mooney gets a feather edge and is caught behind by Jones on 14 off 15. Meg Lanning time now. Australia 47/2 after 8
End of Over 6, Australia 37/1
Shrubsole comes back and this time, concedes 8. Australia are 37/1 after the Powerplay: One extra run than England, one extra wicket in hand as well.
Most runs at a single edition of the Women's World T20:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) November 25, 2018
257 Meg Lanning (AUS), 2014
246 Stafanie Taylor (WI), 2016
228 Suzie Bates (NZ), 2014
225 Alyssa Healy (AUS), 2018
208 Mithali Raj (IND), 2014#WT20
Wicket!
Look, Healy is actually out early this World T20, the first score of less than 40. She is bowled by Ecclestone on 22 off 20, Australia 29/1 after 5
End of Over 4, Australia 27/0
Spin from both ends as Hazell comes in and gives away only 6 runs, all singles.
End of Over 3, Australia 21/0
Spinner Ecclestone into the attack in the third over. A big shout for LBW against Healy but England decide not to review. A much better over for them, 5 runs off it with a boundary off the last ball.
End of Over 2, Australia 16/0
Anya Shrubsole, England’s World Cup hero, comes from the other end but is smashed for 14 runs by the red-hot Healy. Dew seems to be part of the problem as well.
End of Over 1, Australia 2/0
Sciver starts with a neat, tight over giving away only 2 runs against the tournament’s leading run-scorer Alyssa Healy and opening partner Beth Mooney.
Australia just need to do what England did in the semi - bat sensibly and they'll walk this in.
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) November 25, 2018
Time for Australia’s chase. Can England defend 106? Let’s find out!
England 105 all out (19.4) had eight players out for single figures for just the 4th time.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) November 25, 2018
Nervy final so far, but AUS created enough chances.
19 yo Georgia Wareham had the coolest head, & Ash Gardner took the best figures by a spinner in a Women's World T20 final (3-22). #WT20
England bowled out for 105 with 2 balls to go
Schutt get Hazell trapped LBW to put an end to the England’s innings in 19.4 overs. Two balls before, Ecclestone was run out by the combination of Perry and Healy.
Only 2 batters - Wyatt (43) & Knight (25) - managed to get into double figures
Australia need 106 from 120 balls to win their fourth World T20 title.
Gardner (3/22) and Wareham (2/11) shine as England are dismissed for 105 in the #WT20 final in Antigua, Danni Wyatt top scoring with 43. Will Australia chase it down for their fourth Women's @WorldT20 title?#AUSvENG LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/HdAPt8fEwK#WT20 #WatchThis pic.twitter.com/GFiiw3XZVJ
— ICC (@ICC) November 25, 2018
End of Over 17, England 102/6
100 up for England in the 19th over as dew begins to make its presence felt and forces a change of balls with an over to go
Gardner takes the wicket of Knight caught by Wareham for 25 (28) and finishes with 3-22, the best figures by a spinner in a women's World T20 final.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) November 25, 2018
Wareham still has a chance to challenge that record. #WT20
Six and out!
Knight’s resistance ends on 25 of 28 with 2 overs to go. After a six that just goes beyond the fielder at long-on, she plays straight into the hands of Wareham at mid-off to give Gardner her third wicket. England 98/8 after 18
End of Over 17, England 89/7
Can England do what India couldn’t in the semi-final and bat out the 20 overs? Captain Knight still there on 18 off 24, with Hazell at the other end.
Wicket!
First, Perry drops it like most of the Aussie fielders today. Two balls later, Perry redeems herself as she runs backwards to take a superb catch to dismiss Shrubsole. Garnder has her second as England stare down the barrel at 85/7 after 16.
End of Over 15, England 82/6
Knight, still standing, with Shrubsole for company with 5 overs to go. Onus on them to post a respectable score with 5 overs to go.
Wareham busting the game open. An excellent review from the 19yo to get rid of Winfield lbw. Next ball, with the same delivery - a beautifully flighted toppie - she castles Dunkley for a golden. Executed a direct run out earlier to get rid of Jones, too. 75-6 in the 14th. #WT20
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 25, 2018
What an over for Wareham!
First, an excellent DRS review send back Winfield on 6. P.S. Lanning reviewed that despite there being no appeal from bowler or keeper, that’s ho good she is! Looked like a straightforward not-out call but it actually struck Winfield’s back pad before hitting her bat.
Then, Wareham bowls a stunning ball to get Dunkley bowled on first ball. England is trouble at 77/6 after 13
Wyatt falls for 43! She finds the hands of Meg Lanning off the bowling of Ashleigh Gardner. England 64/4 after 11 overs.#AUSvENG LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/iw9SLXyLxl#WT20 #WatchThis pic.twitter.com/lnp3R7kbqC
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 25, 2018
Wicket!
Big, big breakthrough as set batter Wyatt goes for 43 off 37. After a couple of dropped catches and missed chances, captain Meg Lanning holds on to a stunner to give Gardner a wicket in her first over. England 64/4 after 11
End of Over 10, England 57/2
Little separates both teams at the halfway mark with both runs and wickets. But given the nature of the pitch, onus on Wyatt & Knight to first figure and then set what will be a winning total.
Halfway point of the innings and this is shaping up to be a VERY tense encounter!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) November 25, 2018
Wyatt (38*) continuing to look very threatening with the bat.
England 3-58 (10.2) #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/PDNk914s5R
End of Over 9, England 55/2
Australia miss a run-out chance as Wyatt and Knight try to rebuild with spin from both ends. Unusually sloppy fielding from Australia today, but good in patches.
Perry has her 100th T20I wicket! Wyatt, who had just smacked a boundary, is trapped LBW with a toe-crusher. England review but DRS lights up red and Australia have the big, big wicket of Nat Sciver early on only 1. England 41/3
End of Over 6, England 36/2
Who wins this Powerplay? England get 36 runs but Australia have got 2 crucial wickets.A close final is what we all wanted, right?
Two wickets in two overs!
Amy Jones, Player of the Match in the semis, is run out on 4! She tries to steal a quick single but is caught short by a distance as Wareham fires a direct hit. Australia are right back after Perry gives away two boundaries in the over. England 31/2 after 5
Wareham's fielding is one of the reasons she got the nod in this #WT20 squad - and she's proving it on the biggest stage! #AUSvENG
— Laura Jolly (@JollyLauz18) November 25, 2018
GEORGIA. WAREHAM.
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) November 25, 2018
Absolutely unbelievable piece of fielding from the young gun!
Jones is run out for 4 after a massive direct hit!
England 2-31 (5.0) #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/8IBEKF0rk4
Wicket!
Schutt gets the early breakthrough for Australia! Beaumont comes down but the track but only manages to miscue it straight to Elyse Villani at mid-off, who doesn’t miss. The pitch is proving to be tricky, just like the semi-finals. England 21/1 after 4
The first wicket of the #WT20 final goes to Megan Schutt! Tammy Beaumont lofts it to Elyse Villani at mid-off and departs for four. England 18/1.#AUSvENG LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/iw9SLXyLxl#WT20 #WatchThis pic.twitter.com/Nia4hB1MMa
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 25, 2018
End of Over 3, England 17/0
Ellyse Perry replaces Molineux after the expensive first over and bowls a tight one herself.
But what might worry Aus is the drop of Wyatt from Alyssa Healy on the second ball.
End of Over 2, England 14/0
Megan Schutt, the world No 1 T20I bowler, comes from the other end and bowls a tidier spell with the new ball. Only 2 runs of it and a an almost-stunning catch from Haynes that saved a certain boundary.
End of Over 1, England 12/0
What a start for England! Australia gamble with left-arm spin but Wyatt wallops Molineux for 12 runs with a four and a six. What will Lanning do now?
Anthems done, time for the last match of the first standalone Women’s World T20.
Danielle Wyatt & Tammy Beaumont to open, spinner Sophie Molineux with the new ball. Let the cricket begin!
Both Australia and England have come through losses in the final league game but a dominant win in the semi-finals. Who will use the winning momentum to go all the way?
The Southern Stars defeated holders West Indies by 71 runs in a one-sided semi-final, while England easily vanquished India, who were playing without talisman Mithali Raj, by eight wickets in the other semi.
Sir Curtly with the silverware up for grabs in Antigua. If you can't tune in on Fox Cricket or 9Gem, follow the action LIVE here: LIVE: https://t.co/NZmnrT4EmC #AUSvENG #WT20 pic.twitter.com/nFsUN5E2h6
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 24, 2018
On a pitch where run-scoring was difficult, Australia reaped the rewards for playing smart cricket. In Australia’s clinical semi-final display, many lessons that India didn’t learn. Read:
Unchanged Playing XIs for both teams
Australia: Mooney, Healy, Gardner, Lanning, Villani, Haynes, Perry, Molineux, Kimmince, Wareham, Schutt.
England: Beaumont, Wyatt, Sciver, Knight, Winfield, Jones, Shrubsole, Dunkley, Ecclestone, Hazell, Gordon
Toss time: England win the toss and Heather Knight elects to bat first.
“Looks a better wicket than the one in the semi-final,” she says. So, not another low-scoring match then?
"I'm on a dream run at the moment and it's been pretty special"
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 24, 2018
WATCH: Alyssa Healy opens up about overcoming her injury, the irresistible form with the bat, and the new look. pic.twitter.com/q34PgQur0w
"I'm loving the opportunity to bat at the top of the order"#WT20 FEATURE – Amy Jones, England's star in the making. pic.twitter.com/BNhe9oM466
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 24, 2018
4.30 AM: Hello and welcome to the Live blog of the last match of the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20. The first standalone edition of the event will see Australia and England, the world No 1 and 2 teams in the format, clash for the title. This the third World T20 final meeting of the two teams.