Australia v Pakistan: Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

By Tanya Aldred • June 24, 2026 • Sport

Over-by-over report: Australia seek to maintain their 100% record at the tournament when they take on Pakistan in Leeds. Join Tanya Aldred for updates

8th over: Australia 81-1 (Perry 40, Voll 28) Lots of little girls in the ground bounce up and down happily with their four signs as Diana gets pasted for two four – Voll dusting her past the keeper, Perry with another powerful pull. Great fact from the radio – Diana is named after Princess Diana because her dad was a big fan. 7th over: Australia 71-1 (Perry 32, Voll 20) Shamim, the offspinner, bowling in a cap and specs. She dries her hands in the Leeds dust. Just seven from it as Australia pick out the fielders. 6th over: Australia 64-1 (Perry 32, Voll 20) Oh Sue, very strict with her legside wides, calls two in a row from Fatima. But apart from Voll’s wristy four to start the over, that’s the only boundary. The end of the power play is signalled with a flagon of orange squash – the most expensive power play of the competition. But – that was the first time Australia lost a wicket with the first ball in a T20 World Cup. 5th over: Australia 56-1 (Perry 31, Voll 15) This is looking like a bit of shellacking already I’m afraid. Two more boundaries in the over – Voll goes legside, Perry off side. Sadia Iqbal trudges through the mire. 4th over: Australia 45-1 (Perry 26, Voll 10) Diana Baig now, short hair bouncing behind her. An outside edge from Perry flies fo four then more running for the Pakistan fielders as Perry pans another through midwicket. A third four from an athletic-looking ramp – no messing about with fripperies – and five wides to finish. Nineteen from the over. 3rd over: Australia 26-1 (Perry 12, Voll 10) Voll fancies this and pancakes Sadia down the ground for four. But that’s the only boundary from the over. 2nd over: Australia 19-1 (Perry 10, Voll 5) Fatima Sana with the next over. The second ball threatens to go for four wides, but that woman Feroza again stops it just before the rope. The third is square driven by Perry for four. And the next pulled upwards and wristily and gloriously for four more. Hmmm. Now Voll joins in, pinging Fatima down the ground. A nasty 17 from the over. 1st over: Australia 2-1 (Perry 1, Voll 1) Not the start anyone was expecting! Unbelievable worldie from Feroza off a Mooney outside edge. What a blinder from Feroza who clutches the egg almost before it has left the chicken, diving to her right at slip. Mooney out first ball of the match! The cameras have found some fans now, mostly hiding in the shaded end Here come the players and the mascots. The Pakistan team, to a woman, place hand on heart. The Aussies link arms and look formidable Two results already today – New Zealand knocked Scotland out of the competition, winning by six wickets with an over and a bit to spare at Bristol; while Sri Lanka thrashed Ireland by nine wickets thanks to an unbeaten century from Chamari Athapaththu to keep their hopes alive. If they can defeat Scotland on Friday and the other results fall their way, they’re through! It’s hot, hot, hot at Headingley – 30 degrees at 6 o’clock and the stands look pretty empty – but it might be that people are hiding in the shade behind the until the action starts. Pakistan: Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Ayesha Zafar, Iram Javed, Saira Jabeen, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal. Fatima Sana announces two changes from the last match – Diana Baig and Rameen Shamim are in, Tuba Hassan and Tasmia Rubab benched. Australia: Beth Mooney, (wk) Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (c), Alana King, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton. An unchanged XI. Sophie Molineaux says, “We hope to put a big total. We’ve tried to stay in the moment. We are unchanged today.” Phoebe Litchfield is training well and nearly there. Pakistan would have batted too. The Aussies need to win two games to be sure of reaching the semi-finals, but one would probably be enough because of their tip-top run-rate -4.39. Pakistan are already done and dusted. Hello, hope you’re somewhere near a fan or some shade on this broiling afternoon. This game should be a bit of a mismatch, between a green and gold juggernaut (three games, three wins) and a sage tabby cat (three games, three defeats). But upsets do happen and Pakistan will be keen to give the Aussies a bump on the nose. They’ll be tossing the official WC coin shortly.

Source: The Guardian