Australia continued their impressive journey toward a seventh Women's T20 World Cup title with a commanding 60-run victory over New Zealand in their Group A match in Sharjah on Tuesday.
Posting a tournament-high score of 148-8, Australia saw Beth Mooney top-scoring with 40 runs. The Australian bowlers then stifled New Zealand's batting lineup, dismissing them for just 88 runs in 19.2 overs. Quick bowler Megan Schutt was the standout performer, taking 3 wickets for just 3 runs in 3.2 overs, earning her the Player of the Match award.
Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy reflected on the performance, stating, “We could have been smarter with the bat at the end, but we came out really well with the ball, and I'm really happy with that.” She praised the entire bowling attack, particularly Schutt, who has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament.
Holders Australia, having won six of the previous eight tournaments, now sit atop Group A, while New Zealand slips to third, just behind Pakistan but ahead of India on net run rate.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Healy provided a strong start with a quickfire 26 runs, hitting four boundaries in just 20 balls. Although Australia faced challenges in the middle order, Ellyse Perry contributed a solid 30 runs, and Mooney’s 40 kept the scoreboard ticking.
New Zealand, coming off a victory against India in their opening match, struggled to find momentum in their innings. After losing Amelia Kerr, who scored 29 runs, the team faltered dramatically, with nine wickets falling for a mere 29 runs.
Kiwi captain Sophie Devine admitted, “We needed to have a good start, and we let the run rate creep up too much. We've still got two games to go.”
Looking ahead, Australia will face Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, while New Zealand will play Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Saturday.
