A magnificent all-round effort has enabled the hosts to win the Twenty20 World Cup final in Melbourne tonight, beating India by 85 runs.
Australia's captain Meg Lanning, centre, and her teammates celebrate winning the Twenty20 women's cricket World Cup in Melbourne. Photo: AFP
Australia were the defending champions and have now won the World Cup five times in the last six events.
They began the tournament in shaky fashion, but saved their best for last with a clinical allround performance against a shellshocked Indian side playing in their first final.
Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney powered Australia to the best score in a women's Twenty20 World Cup final, smashing India around the MCG.
In front of an Australian record crowd for a women's sporting event, the openers allowed the hosts to pile on 184 for four.
Healy's scintillating 75 off 39 balls drove Australia after captain Meg Lanning won the toss and batted first.
The wicketkeeper made the big stage her own by smashing five long sixes during her 12th WT20I fifty.
Australia have one hand on the World Cup inside 11 overs with Healy every chance to smash a stack of records before she's done here. Joyous batting. #T20WorldCup
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) March 8, 2020
"It was unbelievable (on the ground). I never thought I'd experience anything like that in my career," Healy said.
Healy's 30-ball fifty was the fastest in a T20 final, by a man or a woman.
Australian opener Alyssa Healy plays a shot as India's wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia follows the ball during the Twenty20 women's World Cup cricket final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Photo: AFP
But Mooney's composed unbeaten 78 was equally as important as she carried her bat.
Her calming influence was just what Australia needed as Healy went for broke at the other end.
The Australian openers feasted on the nervous Indian team, by piling on a 115-run opening stand.
It was a rollercoaster first-over from Indian spinner Deepti Sharma (2-38), as Australia scored 14 runs and Healy was dropped by teen batting star Shafali Verma.
The Australians took a liking to Shikha Pandey, with the Indian seamer going for 0-52 from her four overs.
Australia's captain Meg Lanning, right, bats during the final at the MCG. Lanning was dismissed for 16. Photo: AFP
India was left needing to pull off the second-best successful chase in WT20I history to win their first title. They fell well short being dismissed for 99.
Their hopes of an unlikely win couldn't have started much worse with star teen batter Shafali Verma caught by wicketkeeper Healy off Megan Schutt (4-18) in the first over.
India's chase went from bad to worse when wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia was struck on the helmet and subbed out with concussion for 16-year-old Richa Ghosh.
Star spinner Jess Jonassen (3-18) bowled superbly, capturing the key wicket of Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Sharma (33) played a lone hand for India at No 6.
Australia cantered to their fifth win from seven tournaments without superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry, who tore her hamstring in the final group game.
The final attendance was 86,174 so organisers did not achieve their hope of breaking the world record attendance at a women's sporting match.
That came during the 1999 women's soccer World Cup when a crowd of 90,185 turned out to watch the United States defeat China in California.
American singer Katy Perry performs ahead of the Twenty20 women's World Cup cricket final match between Australia and India in Melbourne. Photo: AFP
- AAP
