Australia Women defeated India Women by 6 wickets in the INDW vs AUSW WC 2026 clash at Lord’s. Chasing 171, Australia completed the target in 19 overs with six balls remaining.
India posted a competitive total after a strong batting effort, but Australia held their nerve in the chase. The result ended India’s campaign in the tournament, while Australia moved into the semifinals.
This article covers India’s batting performance, Australia’s chase led by Perry and Gardner, key turning points of the match, and the records broken at Lord’s.
INDW vs AUSW WC 2026: India post 170/4 at Lord’s
India made a steady start after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Shafali Verma played freely early, while Smriti Mandhana supported her with a calm approach.
Shafali scored 34 off 26 balls before Mandhana added 38 off 37 deliveries. Together, they gave India a solid base against Australia’s bowling attack.
Harmanpreet Kaur then played a strong innings in the final overs. She scored 56 off 27 balls and kept the runs coming at a good pace.
India finished on 170/4 in 20 overs, giving their bowlers a total to defend.
For Australia, Sophie Molineux took two wickets, while Georgia Wareham bowled tightly and gave away just 16 runs in her three overs.
INDW vs AUSW WC 2026: Australia complete chase with ease
Australia began the chase with Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll at the crease. The opening pair looked to give Australia a steady start before India made the first breakthrough.
Shree Charani dismissed Georgia Voll for 4, while Deepti Sharma removed Beth Mooney after she scored 22. Charani then struck again to send Phoebe Litchfield back for 24, keeping India in the contest.
With Australia under pressure, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner came together in the middle overs. The experienced pair added an important partnership and kept the chase moving with sensible batting.
Perry made 56 off 38 balls before Shree Charani dismissed her in the 19th over. By then, Australia needed only a few more runs.
Gardner remained unbeaten on 53 off 29 balls, while Georgia Wareham scored the winning runs as Australia reached 172/4 in 19 overs to complete a six-wicket victory.
India’s bowlers kept fighting until the final over, but they could not stop Australia’s chase. Shree Charani finished with 2/32, while Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh claimed one wicket each.
However, the fourth-wicket partnership between Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner proved to be the difference.
What went wrong for India?
India had a good start with the bat, but they could not turn it into a big total. After that, the batters slowed down in the middle overs and could not build long partnerships.
Harmanpreet Kaur played a strong knock, but India could not use it fully in the final overs. The scoring dropped at key moments, which stopped them from pushing the total higher.
With the ball, India took early wickets, but they could not keep the pressure for long. They could not control the middle overs and missed chances to slow down the chase.
In the end, the 2025 ODI defending champions could not finish well with either bat or ball, and their campaign ended.
List of records broken during the INDW vs AUSW WC 2026
The match at Lord’s produced several major records in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Take a Look:
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Highest successful chase | Australia’s 171 became the highest successful chase in Women’s T20 World Cup history and the highest at Lord’s in women’s T20 cricket |
| Record attendance | 27,163 fans, the highest for a Women’s T20 or ODI World Cup group-stage match |
| Most 50+ scores | Harmanpreet Kaur equalled 5 fifty-plus scores in Women’s T20 World Cup history alongside Charlotte Edwards and Meg Lanning |
| Fastest fifty milestone | Harmanpreet reached her fifty in just 25 balls against Australia |
Read This Next:
- Harmanpreet Kaur Becomes First Cricketer to Play 200 T20Is
- ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table
Conclusion
India showed strong intent with the bat, especially through Harmanpreet Kaur’s quick scoring in the final overs. However, they could not push the total beyond 170.
Australia stayed calm during the chase and found key partnerships at the right time. Perry and Gardner played the most important roles in finishing the match.
As a result, Australia move into the semifinals of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, while India exit after a tough loss at Lord’s.
