Beth Mooney strengthened her legacy as one of the greatest players in women’s cricket after making history at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter became the first player to win two Player of the Match awards in Women’s T20 World Cup finals and the first to claim two Player of the Tournament awards.
Her composed 64 off 49 balls in the final at Lord’s guided Australia to a record seventh Women’s T20 World Cup title and capped another outstanding tournament for the experienced opener.
Mooney finished the competition as Australia’s leading run-scorer and the tournament’s second-highest scorer, amassing 238 runs from seven innings at an average of 47.60 and a strike rate of 142.51.
Another Match-Winning Knock on the Biggest Stage
Australia entered the final unbeaten after a dominant campaign, including a convincing semi-final victory over West Indies. Chasing England’s total of 150/4, the defending champions suffered an early setback when Georgia Voll departed.
Mooney once again stepped up when her team needed her most. She combined with Phoebe Litchfield for a record 100-run partnership for the second wicket, the highest second-wicket stand and the third-highest partnership overall in the history of a Women’s T20 World Cup final.
Litchfield made an impressive 48 before Charlie Dean broke the partnership in the 13th over, but Mooney remained in complete control of the chase. Her innings featured 10 boundaries and provided the stability Australia required before Sophie Ecclestone dismissed her in the 16th over.
Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner completed the chase with 17 balls to spare as Australia secured a seven-wicket victory and another world title.
Historic Double Completed
Mooney’s performance earned her the Player of the Match award in the final, adding to the same honour she received after her unbeaten 74 in the 2023 final.
She also collected the Player of the Tournament award, having previously won the accolade in 2020 when she finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 259 runs at an average of 64.75.
The achievement made Mooney the first player in Women’s T20 World Cup history to win both the Player of the Match award in a final and the Player of the Tournament award on two separate occasions.
She also became only the second cricketer, after Amelia Kerr in 2024, to win both awards during the same edition of the tournament.
Remarkable World Cup Career
The 2026 tournament was Mooney’s sixth Women’s T20 World Cup since making her debut in 2016.
She has now accumulated 990 runs in the tournament at an average of 43.04 and a strike rate of 121.77, while equalling the competition record with nine half-centuries.
Her consistency on the biggest stage has become one of the defining features of Australia’s success. In both the 2023 and 2026 editions, she produced half-centuries in the semi-final and the final, once again proving her ability to deliver under pressure.
A Career Built on Consistency
Beyond World Cup cricket, Mooney continues to rank among the finest batters in the women’s game.
Across 125 T20 Internationals, she has scored 3,783 runs at an average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 126.47, including two centuries and 31 half-centuries.
Her experience also played a vital role during Sophie Molineux’s first Women’s T20 World Cup as captain. Mooney’s dependable batting gave Australia the stability they needed throughout the tournament while allowing the middle order to play with freedom.
England produced a spirited performance in the final, with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt becoming the first England skipper to score a half-century in a Women’s T20 World Cup final, while Freya Kemp added an unbeaten 44. However, Australia’s depth and Mooney’s calm approach during the chase ultimately proved decisive.
By collecting another Player of the Match award in a World Cup final and a second Player of the Tournament honour, Beth Mooney has highlighted her place among the greatest players in the history of women’s T20 cricket.
