OTD | 2020 Australia clinched T20 World Cup in front of record MCG crowd

On March 8, 2020, Australia women produced a dominant performance to defeat India women in the final of the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The historic match was played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne and marked the seventh edition of the tournament since it began in 2009. Australia won the final convincingly by 85 runs, securing their fifth Women’s T20 World Cup title. For India, it was a landmark occasion as it was the first time they had reached the final of the tournament.

After winning the toss, Australian captain Meg Lanning chose to bat first. Australia got off to a blazing start thanks to their opening pair. Alyssa Healy delivered a spectacular innings, smashing 75 runs from just 39 balls, setting the tone for a big total.

Following Healy’s explosive start, Beth Mooney anchored the innings brilliantly. She remained unbeaten on 78 runs, ensuring Australia maintained momentum throughout the innings. With valuable contributions from the middle order, Australia finished with an imposing 184/4 in their 20 overs. For India, Deepti Sharma was the most successful bowler, claiming two wickets, while Poonam Yadav and Radha Yadav took one wicket each.

Chasing a challenging target of 185, India faced early setbacks. Australia’s disciplined bowling attack struck quickly and reduced India to 30/4 within the powerplay, putting the match firmly in their control. Despite the difficult situation, Deepti Sharma tried to stabilise the innings with 33 runs from 25 balls. However, the rest of the batting line-up could not withstand Australia’s relentless bowling. The Indian innings collapsed quickly, with the final four wickets falling for just seven runs, and the team was eventually bowled out for 99 runs in 19.1 overs.

Australia’s bowlers delivered an outstanding performance to seal the victory. Megan Schutt led the attack with four wickets, while Jess Jonassen supported her brilliantly with three wickets. For her explosive opening innings, Alyssa Healy was named Player of the Match, while Beth Mooney’s consistent performances throughout the tournament earned her the Player of the Tournament award.

The final was played on International Women’s Day, making the occasion even more special. A remarkable 86,174 spectators attended the match at the MCG, setting multiple records. It became the largest attendance ever for a women’s cricket match, surpassing the crowd of around 50-60,000 at the 1997 Women’s World Cup final at Eden Gardens. It also set the record for the largest crowd at any ICC T20 World Cup final at that time, men’s or women’s.

The tournament also impacted the ICC rankings. Following her outstanding performances, Mooney rose to the No.1 position in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings. Meanwhile, Shafali Verma, who had previously held the top spot, slipped to third place after scoring just two runs in the final, with Suzie Bates remaining in second place.