Women's World T20: Australia beat England to become World Champions for the 4th time

Women's World T20: Gardner was named Player of the Match after hoisting three sixes in her 26-ball knock

The Australian eves have once again become the world champions in the shortest format of the game of cricket. They hammered England by 8 wickets to win the Women’s World Twenty20 title for the time on the Caribbean island of Antigua on Saturday.

Ashley Gardner top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 33, helping her team chasing an easy total of 106 runs with 29 balls to spare at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound. She also grabbed the ‘Player of the Match Award’ after hoisting three sixes in her 26-ball knock, while captain Meg Lanning (28) scored the winning run.

They seemed nervous in the field, but there were no nerves there at the finish - Australia are four-time #WT20 champions! 🏆

Read how they did it in our match report 👇

READ ➡️ https://t.co/FMadQPLvvp#AUSvENG #WT20 #WatchThis pic.twitter.com/buXZtcDkPq

— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 25, 2018

Earlier, the English women chose to bat after winning the toss but the Aussies overturned their decision with a lethal bowling attack. Except for opener Danielle Wyatt (43) and skipper Heather Knight (25), none of the English batswomen could able to score in double digits. Amid the regular wicket-fall, England managed to post 105 runs in 19.4 overs.

Before smashing the valuable 33 runs, Gardner scalped 3 crucial English wickets (Danielle Wyatt, Heather Knight and Anya Shrubsole), dismantling their batting line-up. Megan Schutt and Georgia Wareham grabbed 2 wickets apiece while Ellyse Perry managed to take one.

The triumphant Aussies are still full of energy! 💪😃 #WT20 pic.twitter.com/NF9EEaPlNo

— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 25, 2018

After the game, Australian skipper Meg Lanning stated that the title had been particularly sweet in light of recent disappointments at global tournaments.

“The last two World Cups really hurt and we had to change a few things and move it forward,” she said, referring to their semi-final loss at the 50-over World Cup last year and defeat to West Indies in the title match of this tournament in 2016.

“The group embraced it and it was a very satisfying win. We did not have our best day in the field but the bowlers did a good job,” she added.

This victory of the Australian Women’s team will be considered as a special one because it has come at the end of a tumultuous year in which the men’s test team was rocked by a ball-tampering scandal that led to year-long suspensions for captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner.