The Indian cricket team crashed out of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 after Australia beat them by six wickets in their last Group 1 match at Lord’s, London, on Sunday.
Fifties from Ellyse Perry (56 off 38) and Ashleigh Gardner (53 not out off 29) helped Australia chase down a 171-run target with an over to spare. Harmanpreet Kaur was India’s top scorer with a 27-ball 56.
Only the top two teams from each group advanced to the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals and India’s defeat left them outside the qualification places despite winning three of their five group-stage matches.
After electing to bat, India posted 170/4, with Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur leading the way with a brisk fifty.
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma laid a platform with a 66-run stand before Verma fell for 34.
Mandhana made 38 but was run out following a mix-up. Harmanpreet then shared a 64-run partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues, who retired hurt in the 19th over with India on 147/3.
India then managed to score 23 runs off the final over, with Harmanpreet smashing Sophie Molineux for three straight sixes and set Australia a competitive chase.
With six-time champions chasing 171 to win, India’s bowlers kept Australia in check early in the chase, reducing them to 68/3 by dismissing Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll by the 10th over.
However, Ellyse Perry swung the momentum with a composed fifty before Ashleigh Gardner launched a late assault as they combined to put on a 100-run stand to take Australia near the finish line. Both Perry and Gardner scored half-centuries.
Georgia Wareham then struck a four to score the winning runs for Australia to guide them into the semi-finals and send India crashing out of the T20 World Cup.
IND-W vs AUS-W, Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 brief scores: India Women 170/4 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 56; Sophie Molineux 2/46) lost to Australia Women 172/4 in 19 overs (Ellyse Perry 56, Ashleigh Gardner 53 not out; Shree Charani 2/32) by six wickets.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/women-t20-world-cup-2026-cricket-india-vs-australia-match-report
