Australia earned a third straight convincing win at the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup when it beat the Netherlands by 98 runs.
Australia reached 200 in the World Cup for the first time and equalled the highest ever tournament total, 219-6. The Netherlands was kept to 121-3 at the Rose Bowl.
Like Australia, England was three for three after easily containing Scotland by 38 runs in Leeds in front of 11,419 people, an attendance record for a women’s match at Headingley.
Bangladesh eliminated Pakistan by 23 runs with two great comebacks to stay in the hunt for a first semifinal.
Mooney retires hurt but OK
Opening batter Beth Mooney gave Australia a scare when she retired on 74 off 42 balls with a stiff back. But she said afterward she was fine.
“I’m all good, just precautionary,” Mooney said. “Probably just not used to all the bus travel we’ve been doing.” Mooney shared 50 runs off 28 balls for the opening wicket with Georgia Voll (17) and 101 off 55 with Ash Gardner (58), who returned from an ankle sprain.
Georgia Wareham swept Australia past 200 with 41 off 18 including 32 runs from boundaries.
With Mooney sidelined, Australia didn’t have a backup wicketkeeper. The usual alternative, Phoebe Litchfield, was out with a quad issue. The gloves were given to Voll and she was tidy, taking a catch in the second over as pacer Kim Garth took 2-10 in her first two overs.
The Netherlands, appearing in its first World Cup, was never going to chase down a 220 target but captain Babette de Leede and Sterre Kalis combined for 96 from 91 balls from the fourth over to the 19th.
Kalis, dropped on 21 and 40, was bowled for 44 and captain de Leede, 56 not out off 57 balls, finished the match with Robine Rijke, both of whom were playing their 100th T20s.
“This is a massive moment for us,” de Leede said. “Australia are a quality team (so) to learn from them, see how they go about their innings, it’s just incredible.”
Dunkley stars for England on recall
England started without injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, gave the armband to Charlie Dean and the No. 3 batting spot to Sophia Dunkley, who was the player of the match.
“It was great to be back in,” Dunkley said. “That’s tournament cricket, coming in and out of the team, but you know that all 15 (squad players) are going to be important at some point.”
Dunkley helped England recover from losing both openers early to spinner Kirstie Gordon, who represented England at the 2018 World Cup. Dunkley was dropped three times, twice in two balls off Gordon, before she was out caught in the deep on 57 off 37 balls.
Other misfields by Scotland conceded four boundaries.
Freya Kemp (39 off 16) and Dani Gibson (30 off 11) smoked 59 runs from the last three overs to give England an above-par total of 200-5. It’s only the fifth 200-plus total in World Cup history and England has three of them.
Scotland’s chase died at 162-7 but it was matching England early on.
When Sophie Ecclestone bowled Kathryn Bryce — collecting his 150th T20 wicket — and Darcey Carter on 29, Scotland hopes faded. Those hopes were gone when Sarah Bryce was out for 34 off 24 in the 14th over. Five England bowlers shared wickets.
Bangladesh collapse Pakistan
Bangladesh recovered from 13-3 to post 123-6 and limited Pakistan to 100-8.
Pakistan has also lost to India and South Africa while Bangladesh has also beaten the Netherlands.
Bangladesh chose to bat first but was quickly 13-3. Captain Nigar Sultana held the innings together through the middle overs against the miserly bowling of Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal and opposite skipper Fatima Sana.
But then Bangladesh plundered 43 off the last four overs with a big finish by Shorna Akter; 39 runs off 22 balls.
Pakistan’s chase of 124 started comfortably with openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza combining for 49. After they were prised out, the turning point came in the 12th over when slow left-armer Sanjida Akter Meghla took two wickets to reduce Pakistan to 70-4.
Those setbacks tumbled Pakistan off its run-a-ball pace and it never recovered. Pakistan scored only 30 more runs in eight overs, tied down by the spin of Akter Meghla, Rabeya Khan and Nahida Akter.
Published – June 21, 2026 10:26 am IST
