Australia romp to fifth World Cup title

Australia claimed record fifth World Cup title beating India by 85 runs.

Alyssa Healy (75 from 39 balls) set a new record for the highest score in a women’s T20 World Cup final – only for opening partner Beth Mooney to break it with an unbeaten 78 from 54 of her own. 

After Australia elected to bat, Healy showed zero nerves in front of an enormous crowd to dispatch Shikha Pandey’s first delivery of the match, a full toss, to the boundary. 

She found the rope three times in an eventful opening over which also saw her dropped on nine after Shafali Verma put down a chance at cover.

Healy made India pay for the error and continued to ride her luck, working brilliantly with Mooney to take Australia to 0-49 at the end of the powerplay, before taking on the left-arm spin of Rajeshwari Gayakwad with two huge sixes.

Bringing up her half-century from just 30 balls, with yet another four, Healy feasted on the pace of Pandey with three consecutive maximums before chancing her arm one time too many in the 12th, caught on the boundary as Radha Yadav finally made the first breakthrough for India.

After she departed, the ice-cool Mooney – who had largely been content to feed her partner the strike – upped the ante. She brought up a half-century of her own from 41 deliveries, stroking 10 boundaries. Mooney’s quick running kept the pressure on the Indian fielders as she made the most of any fumbles, finishing unbeaten on 78.

Dhaka/AKA