All-round Perry leads Aussies to fourth straight win

2h ago Laura Jolly, at Headingley, Leeds

Match Report

2h ago Laura Jolly, at Headingley, Leeds

Beth Mooney was in the wars again, continuing a rough injury run, but Australia prevailed easily over Pakistan

Ellyse Perry has produced a career-best T20 World Cup knock to continue Australia's unbeaten run with a thumping 113-run win over Pakistan in Leeds, but Beth Mooney again found herself in the wars twice dislocating the same finger.

Perry's 48-ball 71, her first half-century in 51 appearances at the tournament, laid the foundation for Australia's 7-199 at Headingley.

The allrounder then backed up with the ball, taking 2-9 from one over as Pakistan were bowled out for 86 in 13.4 overs.

The 113-run margin was the second biggest at a women's T20 World Cup and leaves Australia four-from-four and in the box seat to secure a spot in the semi-finals, with their final group game a blockbuster showdown against India at Lord's on Sunday.

It was a painful 20 overs behind the stumps for Mooney, however.

Having retired hurt and handed over the wicketkeeping gloves to Georgia Voll against the Netherlands due to back soreness on Saturday, Mooney stayed on the ground against Pakistan despite dislocating the middle finger of her right hand twice in the space of two overs.

Both incidents came off the bowling of Kim Garth; the first had Mooney doubled over in pain as she was tended to by medical staff after copping a blow looking to stop a delivery down the leg side. Two overs later she was struck on the same digit putting down a tough leg-side chance and was again attended to before electing to stay on the field.

She was unhindered by the injury, taking two sharp catches off the bowling of Annabel Sutherland to end Pakistan's innings in the 14th over.

Mooney needed running repairs after twice hurting her finger // ICC/Getty

Muneeba Ali's 25-ball 32 was the only significant contribution during a dire Pakistan batting innings that included three run outs.

The first of those saw Pakistan opener Gull Feroza run out for one after a mix-up with Muneeba, before Sophie Molineux's knack for getting a wicket in her first over at this tournament continued when she had Saira Jabeen caught at deep midwicket.

The Australian skipper was in the thick of the action again 10 balls later when her brilliant diving stop and a second miscommunication involving Muneeba had Ayesha Zafar run out for a four-ball duck.

Iram joined Muneeba and went after the off-spin of Ashleigh Gardner, hitting three consecutive boundaries to take Pakistan to 3-50 at the end of the Powerplay, but the introduction of Georgia Wareham after the break then immediately brought rewards as she bowled Javed for an eight-ball 14.

Perry, who took two wickets in a rare bowling appearance in Leeds last week, continued her good returns at the ground, ending Muneeba's charge in the 10th with her first ball, and she got a second in the same over when Aliya Riaz edged behind leaving Pakistan 6-74.

From there the wickets continued to tumble, Pakistan losing 6-21 to be bowled out for 86.

Earlier, Sadia Iqbal handed Pakistan the dream start with the ball as she had Mooney prodding at the first delivery of the match, catching an outside edge.

Gull Feroza at slip then held onto a one-handed stunner leaping to her right, sending Australia's most accomplished T20 batter on her way for a first-ball duck.

It would have had Pakistan dreaming of a repeat of last year's ODI World Cup in Colombo where they reduced the Aussies to 7-76, but their optimism was short-lived as Perry and Georgia Voll (39 off 28) took control.

They took 17 runs off in-form Sana's first over, then 19 off a wayward start from recalled veteran quick Diana Baig.

Australia's 1-64 was the highest Powerplay of the tournament thus far and their 100-run second-wicket stand came up in the 10th over before Voll was caught top-edging a high chance off spinner Nashra Sandu that found the safe hands of Javed at long off.

It triggered a mini-collapse of 3-7 from the Australians, as Gardner holed out without scoring two balls later, giving Nashra a second, and Wareham (5) followed an over later.

Perry was undeterred, deploying her full array of shots – including her more recently acquired ramp – with the Pakistan quicks coming in for particular punishment as the allrounder brought up a half-century from 30 deliveries.

Sutherland joined Perry to keep the scoreboard ticking over, hitting four boundaries in her 18-ball 27.

Perry's innings finally ended on 71, her highest score in a T20I since December 2022, when she gloved a Fatima Sana slower ball behind to 'keeper Muneeba. She was initially given not out but had to walk after a protracted review that also examined whether Muneeba had gotten her gloves fully beneath the ball.

Nicola Carey's late cameo of 26no from 13 ensured Pakistan would be chasing 200.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson