Women's T20I WC: Australia beats South Africa; wins 6th title

Cape Town: Powerful Australia beat South Africa by 19 runs to win their sixth ICC T20I Women's World Cup title at Newlands Cricket Stadium here on Sunday, IANS reported.

Winning the title, Australian women completed the 'three-peat' under the captaincy of Meg Lanning, winning in 2018, 2020 and now 2023, ICC informed.

Beth Mooney top-scored with 74* as the world's top-ranked team posted 156/6, and a brilliant bowling display saw South Africa stifled in their chase, with the Proteas falling short of their target.

Tasked with defending a target of 157, Australia's bowlers throttled the scoring rate of South Africa's openers at the start of the reply, conceding just 22 runs in the Powerplay and with in-form Tazmin Brits sent back to the dugout by the electric Darcie Brown.

A Brown catch saw Marizanne Kapp dismissed for a run-a-ball 11 off Ash Gardner as South Africa struggled to up the scoring rate, with 105 runs still required at drinks with ten overs remaining.

The brilliance of Laura Wolvaardt threatened to bring South Africa back into the game as she hit big shot after big shot to surge to 61 from 48 balls.

But Megan Schutt removed Wolvaardt, and Jess Jonassen cleaned up the dangerous Chloe Tryon (25 from 23) as the required rate of scoring proved too much for South Africa in the death overs.

Australia comfortably sealed the match by 19 runs.

In the semis, they knocked India out of the campaign for five runs.