The final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) between the hosts Australia and India, who were undefeated so far in the tournament. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first.

Openers Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy added 115 runs for the first wicket. Both the batswomen pummelled the Indian bowling to every part of the ground. Healy made 75 in 39 balls with 7 fours and 5 sixes before falling to Radha Yadav. Beth Mooney continued her good run with a score of 78* with 10 fours and also broke the record for most runs in a single edition of Women’s T20 World Cup.

The Indian bowlers pulled it the total back a bit and the home team finished on 184/4 in 20 overs. Deepti Sharma picked 2/38, while Poonam Yadav and Radha Yadav picked one wicket each. Veteran Shikhar Pandey went for 52 runs in 4 overs.

It was up to the Indian dashing opener Shafali Verma to give them a big start and she started well. But was dismissed on the third ball of the first over itself by Megan Schutt and it seemed all over for the Indian team. The pressure of chasing 185 runs proved to be too much as Mandhana (11), Bhatia (2), who retired hurt after being hit on her helmet, Rodrigues (0), and Kaur (4) went back without making a dent into the chase.

Deepti Sharma scored 33, while Krishnamurthy (19) and Richa Ghosh (18) were the major run-getters, as India was restricted to 99 in 19.1 overs. Megan Schutt picked 4/18, while Jess Jonassen picked 3/20, as India crumbled badly in the chase.

Australia won the match by 85 runs and became the T20 Champions for the fifth time. Meg Lanning became the third Australian captain to win a world title at home.

BRIEF SCORES:
AUS-W 184/4 (A HEALY 75, B MOONEY 78*; D SHARMA 2/38) defeated IND-W 99 (D SHARMA 33; M SCHUTT 4/18, J JONASSEN 3/20) by 85 runs

Australia win the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 and become five-time champions