Australia Dominates World Cup
Ellyse Perry's All-Round Brilliance Fuels Australia's 113-Run Victory Over Pakistan
Key Points
Gull Feroza produced a stunning one-handed diving catch to dismiss Beth Mooney off the first ball of the innings, giving Pakistan an early lift at Headingley.
Pakistan’s chase was undermined by three run-outs, derailing momentum as they were skittled for 86 in 13.4 overs.
Muneeba Ali’s 32 was Pakistan’s only notable contribution, with Perry removing her first ball of her spell.
Ellyse Perry’s 71 off 48 was described as her maiden fifty at this Women's T20 World Cup event, underscoring her ongoing impact across many World Cups and roles for Australia.
Australia’s 113-run win is noted as the second-biggest victory in the history of the Women's T20 World Cup, behind England’s 114-run win over Pakistan two years ago.
Ellyse Perry delivered a stunning all-round performance as Australia crushed Pakistan by 113 runs at Headingley in Leeds on Tuesday, locking up a near-certain semi-final spot at the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Perry scored 71 off 48 balls and then took 2-9 from her single over as Pakistan were bowled out for 86 in just 13.4 overs, chasing Australia's imposing 199/7. ICC Media confirmed the margin is the second-largest in Women's T20 World Cup history, behind England's 114-run win over Pakistan in 2023.
Australia are now unbeaten in Group A with four wins from four, sitting on 8 points with a Net Run Rate of +4.304. Pakistan, already eliminated after four straight losses, face the Netherlands in Bristol in their final group match. Australia's next game is a sold-out clash against India at Lord's on Sunday, June 28, which will likely decide the Group A winner.
Perry Anchors Australia to a Tournament-High Score
Australia's innings began with a shock. Beth Mooney was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball, caught by Gull Feroza off a stunning one-handed diving take at slip off Sadia Iqbal's bowling. But Perry and Georgia Voll refused to panic. They raced to a 50-run partnership in just 25 balls. By the end of the Powerplay, Australia stood at 64/1 — the highest Powerplay score of the 2026 tournament, according to Cricket Australia.
Perry and Voll reached a 100-run stand in 56 balls before a brief collapse struck. Nashra Sandhu removed Voll (39) and Ashleigh Gardner (0) in the same over, and Australia slipped from 100/1 to 107/4. But late cameos from Annabel Sutherland (27) and Nicola Carey (26*) pushed the total to 199/7. Perry was eventually trapped LBW by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana for 71 in the 18th over. Perry said she "really enjoyed" her innings and wanted to "keep taking the game on" during the powerplay, per The Guardian.
Pakistan's Chase Unravels With Three Costly Run-Outs
Pakistan's reply was over almost before it began. Gull Feroza, the hero of the slip cordon, was run out for 1 in the third over after a mix-up with Muneeba Ali. Two more run-outs followed — Ayesha Zafar and Rameen Shamim — draining any momentum Pakistan tried to build. The Guardian described the dismissals as "self-destructive." Fatima Sana later called the run-outs "calamitous" and said the team was playing for "pride" in their final group game, per a PCB press release.
Muneeba Ali top-scored with 32 off 25 balls — Pakistan's only real resistance. Perry entered the attack in the 10th over and removed Muneeba with her very first ball, then took a second wicket to finish with figures of 2-9. Annabel Sutherland sealed the win by taking the final wicket of Sadia Iqbal. Pakistan were dismissed for 86 in 13.4 overs, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Perry's First T20 World Cup Fifty — After 51 Appearances
Perry has played in every Women's T20 World Cup since 2009. Yet Tuesday's 71 was her first half-century in 51 tournament appearances, according to Island.lk. Named Player of the Match, Perry's knock showed her growing role as a top-order aggressor under new captain Sophie Molineux. Molineux, who took over after Alyssa Healy's retirement in March 2026, said the team's "depth gives us flexibility" and praised the batters' response after the early Mooney dismissal.
Australia's 113-run margin places this win second in the all-time records for Women's T20 World Cup victories, just one run short of England's 114-run win over Pakistan in February 2023, per the Associated Press. Analysts at ESPNCricinfo noted, however, that a mini-collapse of 3 wickets for 7 runs in the middle overs points to a spin vulnerability that India may try to target at Lord's.
Mooney Injury Clouds Australia's Road to Semi-Finals
Not everything went smoothly for Australia. Beth Mooney twice dislocated the middle finger of her right hand while keeping wicket behind the stumps, according to Cricket Australia. Mooney was already managing back soreness coming into the match. Medical staff are now monitoring her fitness closely ahead of the semi-finals. Her keeping and batting form are critical to Australia's balance at the top of the order.
Australia face India at a sold-out Lord's on Sunday, June 28. That match will almost certainly decide which team tops Group A and earns favorable seeding in the knockouts. Pakistan, meanwhile, play the Netherlands in Bristol. A defeat would seal a winless campaign for Fatima Sana's side, per Geo News.
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