Australia crush West Indies Women, storm into another T20 World Cup final

LONDON (AP):

Australia cruised into yet another Women’s Twenty20 World Cup final after hammering the West Indies by eight wickets at The Oval yesterday.

The West Indies made 125-7, and the inadequacy of that total was exposed by Australia hunting it down with seven overs to spare.

Opener Beth Mooney and Ash Gardner partnered in the seventh over of the chase and smoked the bowlers in an unbeaten combination of 63 runs from 37 balls for a winning 127-2.

Mooney had 61 from 36 balls and her eighth T20 World Cup 50 tied for the most with New Zealand’s Suzie Bates. Gardner had 35 from 20 and the winning runs from a fourth boundary flicked off her pads.

Undefeated Australia will chase their seventh T20 World Cup crown in their eighth final in 10 tournaments. At Lord’s on Sunday they will face hosts England or South Africa. Their semi-final is on Thursday at The Oval.

“The T20 World Cup, you just have to ride it. It’s full of momentum swings,” Australia captain Sophie Molineux said. “The group’s really enjoyed it, and that’s the important thing.”

The West Indies were shaken moments before the semi-final when all-rounder Deandra Dottin was helped off the field by teammates after the anthems. “To see her almost passing out during the national anthems was a bit scary,” captain Hayley Matthews said.

Australia lost Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield in the powerplay but were relieved by Mooney taking 18 runs, including four boundaries – half her total – from Jahzara Claxton’s first and only over in the tournament.

Ellyse Perry retired hurt on two out of precaution for a quad issue. Molineux said she should be OK for the final. Gardner replaced Perry and ended up as the player of the match.

The all-rounder’s earlier took 2-13 with her offspin, removing Claxton and Stafanie Taylor in the 11th over to hasten the West Indies’ demise.

The West Indies’ only two wins over Australia in 19 previous T20s starred Matthews with 66 runs in the 2016 World Cup final and 132 in Sydney in 2023. Matthews made 30 from 28 this time, the pressure on her building while opening partner Qiana Joseph was eating deliveries. Joseph had 8 from 19 at one point and was out after Matthews for 16 from 22.

Dottin’s absence made a good start by the West Indies vital, but they were six down by the time Dottin appeared. She smacked an unbeaten 16-ball 26 in front of a crowd of 10,023 in an afternoon start required by India officials, who anticipated India qualifying. But India were eliminated by Australia on Sunday.

Supporting Gardner against the West Indies were Molineux with 2-30 and Georgia Wareham, who bowled Matthews to end with 2-17.