Australia beat England by seven wickets to win seventh T20 World Cup
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- Australia beat England by seven wickets at Lord's on Sunday 5 July 2026 to claim a record-extending seventh Women's T20 World Cup title, reaching their target with 17 balls to spare.
- Beth Mooney top-scored with 64 and shared a 100-run partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (48) as Australia chased down England's 150-4 after captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (58 not out) and Freya Kemp (44 not out) rebuilt from 70-4.
- England had entered the final unbeaten, winning all five group matches and beating South Africa by 40 runs in the semi-final, with the Lord's defeat their first loss of the tournament.
- Sciver-Brunt said England were 'outplayed' by a 'really delighting bowling attack' but insisted the gap with Australia is 'probably closer than that result shows' and the team is 'hugely confident'.
- Head coach Charlotte Edwards, captain of England's 2009 World Cup-winning side, said the 'future's really bright' and praised 'significant strides' from younger players in the six months since she took the role.
- The final marked the fourth time England have lost to Australia in a Women's T20 World Cup final, following defeats in 2012, 2014 and 2018, with Australia also winning the 2022 50-over World Cup final and a 16-0 Ashes whitewash last January.
- Attention turns to the first-ever women's Test match at Lord's, with England hosting India from Friday, live on Sky Sports from 10am.
Why it matters: England's unbeaten run through the tournament ended against the only team ahead of them in the pecking order, and a fourth final defeat to Australia reinforces that gap. Edwards' framing — progress in six months, 12 more to work with — signals the team's identity is a building project, not a finished product, with the Lord's women's Test against India the immediate next proving ground.
