📅 June 28, 2026 | By Pulse India News Desk
Australia chased 171 at Lord’s to eliminate India and send South Africa into the semi-finals.
| Match | India Women vs Australia Women |
| Competition | Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group Stage |
| Venue | Lord’s, London |
| Result | Australia Women won by 6 wickets |
| India Women | 170/4 in 20 overs |
| Australia Women | 172/4 in 19 overs |
| Player of the Match | Ellyse Perry |
| Impact | India eliminated; South Africa qualified for the semi-finals. |
Australia Break India Hearts At Lord’s
India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign ended in heartbreak at a packed Lord’s as Australia chased down 171 with an over to spare. Harmanpreet Kaur’s late assault powered India to a strong 170/4, but Australia’s experience under pressure proved decisive.
Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner produced a match-winning 100-run stand for the fourth wicket, taking Australia from pressure to control and knocking India out of the tournament. South Africa, watching anxiously from the balcony, benefited from India’s defeat and progressed to the semi-finals.
- Australia Women beat India Women by 6 wickets at Lord’s.
- India were eliminated from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 group stage.
- South Africa qualified for the semi-finals after India’s defeat.
- Harmanpreet Kaur smashed 56 off 27 balls, including three sixes.
- Ellyse Perry scored 56 off 38 balls and won Player of the Match.
- Ashleigh Gardner made an unbeaten 53 off 29 balls.
- Perry and Gardner added 100 runs for the fourth wicket.
- Australia recorded the highest successful chase in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
India Women 170/4: Harmanpreet’s Blitz Lifts India To Fighting Total
India began steadily through Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, who added 66 for the opening wicket. The pair gave India their highest opening stand against Australia in Women’s T20 World Cup history, but the innings slowed after Shafali fell to Sophie Molineux for 34.
Mandhana was run out for 38 after a communication breakdown, while Jemimah Rodrigues struggled to force the pace before retiring out on 34. India’s innings finally found its explosive finish through Harmanpreet Kaur, who launched a stunning late assault and reached the fastest T20 World Cup fifty for India.
📊 India Women Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | 38 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 102.70 |
| Shafali Verma | 34 | 26 | 3 | 2 | 130.77 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | 34 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 121.43 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 56 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 207.41 |
| Richa Ghosh | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | 4* | 1 | 1 | 0 | 400.00 |
| Extras | 3 | ||||
| Total | 170/4 in 20 overs | ||||
🎯 Australia Bowling: Molineux Strikes At Key Moments
Sophie Molineux was expensive but decisive, removing Shafali Verma with her first delivery and later dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur in the final over. Lucy Hamilton and Georgia Wareham kept India quiet through important phases, while Australia’s fielding helped create Mandhana’s run-out.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucy Hamilton | 3 | 17 | 0 | 5.70 |
| Kim Garth | 3 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | 2 | 25 | 0 | 12.50 |
| Georgia Wareham | 3 | 16 | 0 | 5.30 |
| Annabel Sutherland | 4 | 35 | 0 | 8.80 |
| Sophie Molineux | 4 | 46 | 2 | 11.50 |
Australia Women 172/4: Perry And Gardner Complete Record Chase
Australia lost Georgia Voll early when Renuka Singh Thakur struck with the second ball of the chase, but they recovered through Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield. India then fought back strongly as Shree Charani removed Litchfield and Deepti Sharma dismissed Mooney.
At 68/3, India had the match in their hands. The required rate moved close to 10, and Australia needed calm heads. That is when Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner took over. Their 100-run stand changed the mood completely, combining smart running, boundary-hitting and ruthless use of the shorter boundary.
📊 Australia Women Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Voll | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Beth Mooney | 22 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 110.00 |
| Phoebe Litchfield | 24 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 96.00 |
| Ellyse Perry | 56 | 38 | 8 | 0 | 147.37 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | 53* | 29 | 3 | 3 | 182.76 |
| Georgia Wareham | 4* | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Extras | 9 | ||||
| Total | 172/4 in 19 overs | ||||
🎯 India Bowling: Early Control Lost At The Death
India began well with Renuka Singh removing Voll early and Shree Charani continuing her brilliant tournament by taking two wickets. Deepti Sharma also made history by becoming the highest wicket-taker in women’s cricket history after removing Beth Mooney.
However, India’s bowling cracked under pressure in the second half of the chase. Radha Yadav’s expensive over opened the door, Charani and Shafali leaked runs later, and Renuka’s final over went for 17 as Perry and Gardner killed the contest.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renuka Singh Thakur | 4 | 41 | 1 | 10.20 |
| Kranti Gaud | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Shafali Verma | 4 | 29 | 0 | 7.20 |
| Shree Charani | 4 | 32 | 2 | 8.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | 4 | 31 | 1 | 7.80 |
| Radha Yadav | 2 | 24 | 0 | 12.00 |
🔎 Match Turning Points
1. Mandhana’s run-out: India lost momentum after a promising opening stand, and the middle overs became slower.
2. Rodrigues retiring out: The decision showed India needed more intent earlier, especially with Richa Ghosh waiting in the dugout.
3. Harmanpreet’s final-over blitz: Her three sixes pushed India to a competitive 170 and gave them belief at the break.
4. Radha Yadav’s 17-run over: Australia were under pressure, but Gardner and Perry used that over to swing momentum.
5. Perry-Gardner stand: Their 100-run partnership was the match-defining passage and ended India’s campaign.
📈 Big Records And Stats
📌 Australia’s chase of 171 became the highest successful chase in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
📌 Six of the eight successful 150-plus chases in Women’s T20 World Cup history have come in the 2026 edition.
📌 Perry and Gardner’s 100-run partnership became one of the rare 100-plus stands for the fourth wicket or lower in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
📌 Four 50-plus partnerships in the match equalled the joint record in Women’s T20Is and became the first such instance in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
📌 Shree Charani moved to 14 wickets in the tournament, second only to Amelia Kerr’s 15 in a single Women’s T20 World Cup edition.
⭐ Top Performers
⭐ Ellyse Perry: Player of the Match for her composed 56 off 38 balls in a pressure chase.
⭐ Ashleigh Gardner: Smashed an unbeaten 53 off 29 balls and shifted momentum decisively.
⭐ Harmanpreet Kaur: Scored 56 off 27 balls, including a blistering final-over assault.
⭐ Shree Charani: Picked up 2/32 and continued her outstanding wicket-taking tournament.
⭐ Sophie Molineux: Took two key wickets, including Shafali and Harmanpreet.
📉 What Went Wrong For India?
Lack of intent in key overs: India had wickets in hand but failed to maximise the middle overs before Harmanpreet’s late surge.
Delayed use of power-hitters: Richa Ghosh came in too late, with Rodrigues retiring out only at the start of the final over.
Death bowling concerns: India’s pacers again leaked runs at crucial stages, a problem that hurt them throughout the tournament.
Big-match execution: India struggled to deliver their best against South Africa and Australia, the two matches that mattered most.
🏆 Semi-Final Lineup Confirmed
| Semi-Final | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia Women vs West Indies Women | The Oval |
| 2 | England Women vs South Africa Women | The Oval |
India had the total, the crowd, and early bowling momentum. But Australia had Perry and Gardner. Their 100-run stand turned a tricky chase into a clinical statement, once again exposing India’s problems against elite opposition.
Harmanpreet Kaur nearly dragged India into the semi-finals with a captain’s knock, but Australia’s champion mentality proved too strong. India’s wait for a first Women’s T20 World Cup title continues.
Player of the Match: Ellyse Perry ⭐
Best India Performer: Harmanpreet Kaur – 56 off 27
Best Australia Partnership: Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner – 100 runs
India Status: Eliminated
Australia Status: Qualified for semi-finals
Pulse India News Rating: 9/10
India Women vs Australia WomenINDW vs AUSWWomen’s T20 World Cup 2026Harmanpreet KaurEllyse PerryAshleigh GardnerSmriti MandhanaShree CharaniSophie MolineuxIndia WomenAustralia WomenCricket News
