Beth Mooney once again delivered on cricket’s biggest stage, producing a composed 64(49) balls to guide Australia to a seven-wicket victory over England in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on Sunday.
Chasing 151 after Australia’s bowlers restricted England to 150/4, Mooney struck 10 boundaries and shared a match-winning 100-run second-wicket partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (48). Her knock earned her the Player of the Match award, while a tournament tally of 238 runs in seven innings at an average of 47.60 saw her crowned Player of the Tournament for the second time, having also claimed the honour in 2020.
Her campaign included scores of an unbeaten 74 against the Netherlands, an unbeaten 61 in the semi-final against West Indies and 64 in the final against England. The tournament was also the culmination of a conscious shift in the way Mooney has approached the Powerplay. Between 2020 and 2024, she struck at 102 during the first six overs in T20Is, with almost 48 per cent of the deliveries she faced ending as dot balls. Since then, Australia have encouraged a more aggressive approach. Across six T20Is in 2025, her Powerplay strike rate jumped to 151 while her dot-ball percentage dropped to 35.
Asked what it meant to win another World Cup while also being named Player of the Tournament, Mooney said the achievement reflected the progress the squad had made over the past year. “This has been on the calendar for a little while for us. It’s just nice to be part of the squad first and foremost and have a role to play, opening the batting and wicketkeeping. There’s been a lot of evolution in this group in the last 12 months, and a lot of growth and some fun times as well. So really nice that we’ve capped it off with this today.”
Australia completed the tournament unbeaten, winning all seven matches, and rarely looked under pressure throughout the campaign. Mooney said the side’s fearless mindset had been central to that success. “I think just playing the game with a bit of conviction, a lot of freedom, a lot of bravery, and backing each other and having more belief. Our coaching staff and support staff are amazing. We had a couple of niggles along the way, but we’ve managed to have a full squad to pick from in a big game, and you can’t shy away from how important that is.”
She also acknowledged the role played by Australia’s travelling support during their stay in England, saying the backing from family and fans had made a significant difference throughout the tournament. “It’s a great group to travel with. We’ve been on the road for five and a half weeks, and plenty of people have come halfway across the world to support us. We’ve definitely felt the love here in England.”
The title also marked Sophie Molineux’s first ICC trophy as Australia’s captain. Mooney reserved special praise for her skipper, saying her calm leadership had helped the squad navigate pressure throughout the tournament. “She’s been amazing. She’s just calm and composed and doesn’t look too flustered. She’s put her own spin on the captaincy and been a great leader. I think she’s been a great leader in Australian cricket for a long time. People probably just haven’t been able to see that. Now we’re fortunate we get to see it firsthand, and the girls have really got around her.”
With another World Cup medal, another Player of the Tournament award and yet another match-winning innings in a global final, Mooney reinforced her reputation as one of the finest and consistent performers in women’s cricket.
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