The wait is over as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa is set to begin on Friday with the first match to be played between South Africa and Sri Lanka. Defending champions Australia will play their first game against New Zealand on Saturday while Women in Blue will take on Pakistan in their opening match on Sunday.
As the craze of the much-awaited tournament has reached heights, we are here with the list of the winners of all the editions of the Women’s T20 World Cup to date.
So far, seven editions took place with the first one held in England in 2009. Have a look at all the winners starting from the first edition:
2009: England defeated New Zealand
Nothing can be better than winning the finals at the iconic Lords, London in front of the home crowd. England was too good throughout the tournament and the final was a mere formality for them with the way they perform. After batting first, New Zealand was all-out for just 85 runs even after playing full 20 overs.
It was a great chance for England to win the game and they did it easily. Sarah Taylor and Claire Taylor scored a decent amount of runs to make sure their country will lift the title. English bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt picked up three wickets for just 6 runs and got the player of the match award. On the other hand, Claire Taylor received the prestigious player of the series award for her remarkable show with the bat throughout the tournament.
2010: Australia defeated New Zealand
Another heartbreak for New Zealand as they got defeated in their second consecutive finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup. This time it was Australia who won the final by just 3 runs. After batting first, the Australian women could only score 106 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. It was a brilliant opportunity for the White Ferns to grab the title this time but they choked once again.
Some slow batting towards the end cost them the World Cup as they ended up scoring 103 in their 20 overs. Some great bowling from the Australian star Ellyse Perry helped her side to stay in the game till the end.
She picked up three wickets and grabbed the player of the match award whereas New Zealand’s Nicola Brown was awarded the player of the series award for her magnificent display with both bat and ball.
2012: Australia defeated England
Australians with the trophy after beating England in the finals of the 2012 T20 World Cup
The edition in Sri Lanka always favours Asian countries over the others but the way Australians were playing at that time, they seemed to be unstoppable. They defeated England in the final by 4 runs to win their second successive title. It was a history created at that time by the Australian women’s national cricket team.
Australia was decent with the bat as they scored 142 in their 20 overs which is a good total in a crucial game. In reply, England gave their heart out but couldn’t finish the way they wanted.
They were restricted to just 138 runs even after some good cameos from Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor. Jess Duffin of Australia, who scored a quick 45 runs in the final, won the player of the match award while Charlotte Edwards became the player of the series for her 172 runs throughout the tournament.
2014: Australia defeated England
It was a repetition of the previous world cup with Australia winning their third consecutive world cup title. The tournament was held in Bangladesh and once again two non-Asian sides reached the finals. England after batting first, scored 105 in their 20 overs.
The score was nothing in front of the star-studded Australian squad as they chased it down in just 15 overs to grab the hat-trick of T20 World Cups. Some exceptional batting from meg Lanning made it possible for Australia as she scored a 30-ball 44 to give her team a one-sided victory. Sarah Coyte was adjudged the player of the match whereas England’s Anya Shrubsole won the layer of the series award.
2016: West Indies defeated Australia
West Indies and Australia in the finals of the 2016 T20 World Cup
Australia’s winning streak got ended in the 2016 T20 World Cup when the power-hitting of West Indies players became the reason behind it. Once again, Australia reached the finals of the World Cup and this time it was West Indies who were playing their first T20 World Cup final.
The Women in Yellow after batting first, scored 148 in their 20 overs which was a decent total in a title match. The game was held at the iconic Eden Gardens of Kolkata. West Indies women, on the other hand, had some other plans as they were unstoppable in the grand finale. They had an opening partnership of 120 runs where Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor, both scored quick half-centuries before getting out.
They won the battle in the final over with 8 wickets remaining. Matthews became the player of the match for her winning knock whereas Stafanie Taylor won the player of the series award. She scored 246 runs in the tournament, and also picked up 8 wickets.
2018: Australia defeated England
Once again, Australia got the better of England in the final of the T20 World Cup 2018. Co-incidentally, England again scored 105 in their 20 overs which was easily chased down by the Australian women in 15.1 overs.
Both Ashleigh Gardener and Meg Lanning scored runs for their side and made sure to lift the title again. Gardener also picked up 3 wickets to grab the player of the match award. It was the fourth time that Australia won the T20 World Cup. Alyssa Healy received the player of the series award for her 225 runs throughout the series.
2020: Australia defeated India
It was the first time Australia was hosting the tournament and undoubtedly they played really well to win their fifth T20 World Cup. India, on the other hand, gave everything to reach their first final but the women in blue failed in the finals.
The hosts after batting first scored a mountainous 184 in the first innings which was a winning total on the ground like MCG. Indians, on the other hand, could score only 99 and lost the game by 85 runs in the end. There was not even a single moment it looked like they will chase it.
Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney scored 75 and 78 respectively to put India on the back foot. Mooney for her phenomenal show in the tournament, grabbed the player of the series award whereas Alyssa Healy won the player of the match award for her brilliant 39-ball 75.