Australia’s Ellyse Perry in action during the Women’s T20 World Cup cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. | Photo credit: AP
Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner are two of the brilliant reasons why the current Australian women’s team is insanely formidable. The two talented women teamed up to end India’s T20 World Cup dream at Lord’s on Sunday afternoon (June 28, 2026).
Australia chased India’s 170 for four with six wickets and six deliveries to spare. The South Africans, who predictably defeated Bangladesh by four wickets, joined Australia in the last four. England and the West Indies came out on top of the other group. As the Australians began the chase, Renuka Singh brought joy to her team and a highly partisan crowd. I had Georgia Voll lbw with the second ball, who came in again at good pace.
Phoebe Litchfield, returning from injury, and Beth Mooney got the chase underway with a 50-run partnership for the second wicket, but when both departed, India’s hopes soared. At 68 for three, Australia had a lot to do. But Perry (56, 38b, 8×4) and Gardner (53 no, 29b, 3×4, 3×6) stayed calm and confidently pushed their team toward the goal.
It was a shame that Harmanpreet’s stunning knock, when India desperately needed it, ended in a lost cause. Had it not been for the captain’s 27-ball 56 (6×4, 3×6), India would have struggled to post a significant total against a deep-batting line-up.
The Women in Blue, who chose to bat, struggled to force the pace. Smriti Mandhana (38, 37b, 6×4) and Shafali Verma (34, 26b, 3×4, 2×6) gave another good start but their 66-run stand off 55 balls was not quick enough.
Shafali looked the more threatening of the two until she tried to make space against Australian captain Sophie Molineux, lost her balance and was castled.
Smriti was left tragically exhausted after Jemimah Rodrigues (34, 28b, 1×4, 1×6) possibly didn’t heed the call for a quick run. Jemimah and Harmanpreet scored 64 for the third wicket before the former was retired to bring in India’s designated finalist Richa Ghosh. But, that day, the captain took on that role.
Harmanpreet swung his bat with maximum effect. He hit his counterpart for three sixes in the final over, which was 23 runs.
But Perry and Gardner returned the smile to their captain’s face.
Published – June 28, 2026 10:45 pm IST