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Stars stunned by wonderful Windies

Record-breaking stand by Matthews and Taylor hands West Indies women's WT20 crown

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars quest for a fourth-straight Women's World T20 title for was shattered by a brilliant West Indies batting performance in the tournament final on Sunday.

Set 149 to win, opening batters Hayley Matthews (66) and captain Stafanie Taylor (59) clobbered the Australian attack to all parts of Kolkata's Eden Gardens, combining for a match-winning stand of 120, before the middle order completed the pursuit with three balls to spare.

It was the first time the West Indies had ever beaten the Southern Stars in a T20 International, and the first time they have knocked over Australia at any major global tournament.

It's a bitter blow for Australia captain Meg Lanning, after she and opener Elyse Villani laid a solid platform for the former champions, but it ultimately wasn't enough on a fast and true pitch.

WATCH: Villani, Lanning brilliant but beaten

Taylor said her team 'had nothing to lose' and had vowed to play fearlessly before the match and that's exactly how she and teenager Matthews set about chasing down Australia's imposing total.

Australia's starts with the ball had consistently been their weakest point throughout the tournament, but it looked as though they may finally have turned it around when Jess Jonassen and Ellyse Perry allowed just three runs from the first two overs.

That rapidly changed thanks to 18-year-old Matthews, who made clearing the rope – a feat achieved by the Southern Stars just three times in six matches – look simple as she blasted two huge sixes.

Combining with fellow big-hitter Taylor, the pair added 42 runs from the next 24 balls as the Windies raced to 0-45 by the end of the power play.

In the semi-final, spinners Jonassen and Kristen Beams and medium-pacer Rene Farrell successfully put the brakes on England after a similarly attacking start, but it was a different story against the brash and bold Windies.

Every time it looked as though the Australian bowlers may finally be slowing them down, Matthews and Taylor responded. Matthews brought up her maiden T20 half-century from just 35 balls and while she was struck down by cramp, the dashing right-hander recovered, rallied, and put the Aussies to the sword with six fours and three sixes.

Matthews' fabulous innings came to an end in the 16th over when she pulled Beams to Alex Blackwell at mid-wicket, slamming her bat into the turf when the Australian completed the catch.

By that stage the damage was done.

Taylor reached her own half-century and became the leading run-scorer in the tournament, guiding her side through the innings with a run-a-ball knock of 59 until her dismissal in the penultimate over with only five runs needed.

A missed run-out by seam bowler Megan Schutt with two required resulted in two overthrows and the win for the Windies, who rushed the field to the sounds of men's allrounder Dwayne Bravo's 'Champion' song.

Earlier, powerful half-centuries from Villani and Lanning have helped the Southern Stars to 5-148, their highest total of the tournament.

But it was a brilliant final over from Deandra Dottin which gave the Windies a boost at the end of the innings, as she allowed just one run from the final six balls.

Alyssa Healy was caught and bowled in the second over but the early wicket did little to curtail the Australian aggression, as captain Lanning joined Villani and the pair handed the Southern Stars their best start of the tournament, racing to 1-54 after six overs.

Their 50 partnership came up in just 35 balls and Villani reached her half-century from just 34 balls.

Until that point, Lanning had played a relatively quiet role at the other end, but that changed rapidly when Villani departed for 52 in the 12th over.

Australia had talked of the need to make the most of good foundations with the bat after being restricted by England in the semi-final and Lanning was a woman on a mission.

She blasted three consecutive boundaries off Deandra Dottin before reaching her fifty off 45 deliveries, while allrounder Ellyse Perry joined in the fun, scoring just the second and third sixes of Australia's entire World T20 campaign.

A score of 160 was on the cards, but a terrific final over from Dottin which yielded only one run restricted the Stars to a manageable 5-148.

Australia had won the last three World T20 titles, while the Windies' best result in any major tournament previously was finishing runners-up to the Southern Stars in the 2013 World Cup.