The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup has been a showcase of elite women’s cricket since its inception in 2009. Over the years, this tournament has seen various teams rise to the challenge and compete for the prestigious title. From 2009 to 2023, the finals have featured intense battles between cricket powerhouses and emerging teams alike, reflecting the growing competitiveness and global appeal of women’s T20 cricket. This article highlights the finalists of each T20 Women’s World Cup during this period, highlighting the dominant forces in the game and the evolution of women’s cricket on the world stage.
2009: New Zealand vs England
In the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009, hosted by England, the final was played between England and New Zealand at Lord’s on June 21, 2009. Both teams had an impressive run leading up to the final.
England, playing in Group B alongside India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, dominated their group stage with a perfect record of three wins. They continued their strong performance in the semi-final, narrowly defeating Australia by 8 runs. On the other hand, New Zealand, part of Group A with Australia, West Indies, and South Africa, also showed excellent form throughout the tournament. They successfully defeated their group stage opponents and secured a spot in the final by defeating India in the semi-final by 52 runs.
In the final match, New Zealand batted first but struggled against England’s bowling attack, particularly Katherine Sciver-Brunt. They were all out at a low score of 85 runs. Sciver-Brunt’s remarkable bowling figures of 3 wickets in 4 overs at an economy rate of 1.50 played a crucial role in restricting New Zealand’s score. England then successfully chased down the target, winning by 6 wickets and claiming the first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup title.
2010: Australia vs New Zealand
In the 2010 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, held in the West Indies, Australia and New Zealand emerged as the finalists. Australia, placed in Group A alongside England, West Indies, and South Africa, showed their strength by winning all three group matches. They continued their strong performance in the semi-final, defeating India by 7 wickets to secure their spot in the final.
New Zealand, who showed exceptional performance in the last year’s T20 World Cup, and they ended their campaign as a runner-up, were clubbed in Group B with India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The White Ferns, under Aimee Watkins’ leadership, dominated the group stage, winning all their matches to top the table. They maintained their momentum in the semi-final, registering a thumping 56 run win over the tournament hosts, reaching the final for the second consecutive year.
The final, played on May 16, 2010, in Bridgetown, Australia managed to set a target of 106 for the loss of 8 wickets. In response, New Zealand fought hard but fell just short, losing by a narrow margin of 3 runs. This victory marked Australia’s first T20 World Cup title, with Ellyse Perry delivering a standout bowling performance, claiming 3 wickets in 4 overs at an impressive economy rate of 4.50.
2012: Australia vs England
In the 2012 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by Sri Lanka, the final was played between Australia and England on October 7, 2012, in Colombo. Both teams had impressive journeys to the final.
Australia, competing in Group A alongside England, India, and Pakistan, dominated their group stage with three consecutive wins. They maintained their strong form through the knockout stages, defeating West Indies in the semi-final to reach the championship match.
England, also in Group A, matched Australia’s group stage performance with three victories, securing their semi-final spot. They then defeated New Zealand in the semi-final by 7 wickets to advance to the final.
In the final match, Australia batted first and set a target of 142/4. England fell just short in the chase, scoring 138 runs and losing by a very close margin of 4 runs. This victory secured Australia’s second T20 World Cup title, a successful title defense. Jess Duffin’s batting performance was crucial to Australia’s success, scoring 45 runs off 34 balls in the final over with a strike rate of 132.35, including five boundaries and one six. Her consistent performance throughout the tournament, amassing 151 runs, placed her as the second-highest run-scorer of the 2012 T20 World Cup.
2014: England vs Australia
The 2014 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by Bangladesh, Australia and England reached the final after impressive performances in their respective groups and semi-finals.
England, placed in Group B with West Indies, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, topped their table with three wins out of four matches. They continued their strong form in the semi-final, defeating South Africa by 9 wickets to secure their place in the final.
Australia competed in Group A alongside South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Ireland. They also dominated their group, winning three out of four games to finish at the top. In the semi-final, Australia emerged victorious in a sneaky 8-run win against the West Indies to advance to the final.
The final took place on April 6, 2014, in Mirpur. England batted first, setting a modest target of 105/8. Australia chased down this score comfortably in 15.1 overs, winning by 6 wickets and claiming their third consecutive T20 World Cup title. Sarah Coyte delivered an outstanding bowling performance for Australia in the final, taking 3 wickets in 4 overs with an economy rate of 4.00.
2016: Australia vs West Indies
The 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was hosted by India, and the final featured a face-off between Australia and West Indies.
Australia, placed in Group A with South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Ireland, remained unbeaten in the group stage, securing 8 points to advance to the knockouts. They then defeated England in a close semi-final match.
West Indies, competing in Group B alongside England, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, won 3 matches to finish second in their group with 6 points. They progressed to the semi-final, where they beat New Zealand by 6 runs.
The final, held on April 3, 2016, at Eden Gardens, saw Australia bat first and post a competitive target of 148/5. West Indies successfully chased down the required runs in 19.3 overs, winning by 8 wickets and claiming their first T20 World Cup title. Hayley Matthews played a crucial role in West Indies’ victory, scoring 66 runs off 45 balls with a strike rate of 146.66, including 6 boundaries and 3 sixes, while also taking a wicket. Her all-round performance was consistent throughout the tournament.
2018: England vs Australia
The 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by the West Indies. The Final match was between Australia and England on November 24, 2018, at North Sound. Both teams had impressive journeys to the final.
Australia, competing in Group B alongside India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Ireland, dominated their group stage with four consecutive wins. They maintained their strong form through the semi-final, defeating the defending champions and hosts West Indies by a massive 71-run margin to reach the final.
England, placed in Group A with West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, finished second in their group with two wins, one loss, and one draw. They secured their final spot by defeating India in the semi-final by 8 wickets.
In the final match, England batted first but were all out for a modest 105 runs. Australia chased down this target comfortably in 15.1 overs, winning by 8 wickets and claiming their fourth T20 World Cup title. Ashleigh Gardner’s all-round performance was crucial to Australia’s success. She scored an unbeaten 33 runs off 26 balls in the final with a strike rate of 126.92, including one boundary and three sixes, while also taking three wickets.
2020: Australia vs India
In the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hosts Australia were clubbed in Group A alongside New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Despite an initial setback with a loss to India, Australia rebounded, winning their remaining group-stage matches to secure a semi-final berth. Their semi-final against South Africa was affected by rain, leading to their advancement to the final based on the DLS method.
India, also in Group A, had an impressive run in the group stage. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, they won all four of their matches, defeating Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. This perfect record made them the first team to qualify for the knockouts. India’s path to the final was unusual, as their semi-final against England was washed out due to rain. They advanced based on their superior group stage performance.
The final, held on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2020) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, saw Australia dominate India. Batting first, Australia posted a formidable total of 184/4. In response, India was only able to score 99 runs before being bowled out, resulting in an 85-run victory for Australia. This win marked Australia’s fifth T20 World Cup title. Alyssa Healy was the standout performer in the final, scoring a rapid 75 off 39 balls.
2023: Australia vs South Africa
In the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the defending champions Australia competed in Group A with New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and with four straight wins advanced to the knockouts. They narrowly defeated India in the semi-final before facing hosts South Africa in the final.
South Africa, also in Group A, qualified for the semi-final with a superior run rate despite having equal points with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They achieved a historic semi-final victory against England in a thriller, securing their first-ever World Cup final appearance.
The final, held on February 26, 2023, in Cape Town, saw Australia batting first and posting 156/6. South Africa managed 137/6 in response, resulting in Australia’s 19-run victory. This marked Australia’s sixth T20 World Cup title and third consecutive championship. Beth Mooney was the standout performer for Australia, scoring an unbeaten 74 off 53 balls with 9 fours and a six. Her consistent performances throughout the tournament were crucial to Australia’s success.
