England Knocks New Zealand Out of Women’s T20 World Cup
England eliminated defending champions New Zealand from the Women’s T20 World Cup with a dominant nine-wicket victory at The Oval, maintaining their perfect tournament record. The result propelled the West Indies into the semi-finals, despite the Caribbean side suffering a historic defeat to Ireland earlier in the day.
Key Highlights
- England achieved their fifth consecutive victory to finish the group stage undefeated.
- New Zealand veterans Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu retired from international cricket.
- Ireland secured their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup win by defeating the West Indies.
- Group A remains undecided ahead of the upcoming clash between India and Australia.
At Lordβs, India will face Australia while South Africa take on Bangladesh.
All four teams are still in the race for the semi-finals.
Australia are unbeaten so far in the tournament.
History of the 2026 Tournament Group Stage
The conclusion of Group B delivered unprecedented drama. Tournament hosts England matched the highest run chase in the history of the tournament by tracking down 163 runs in just 17.2 overs. Danni Wyatt-Hodge struck an unbeaten 89, shattering the record for the most runs in a single edition with a total of 282 runs.
New Zealand had initially given themselves hope after recovering from two early losses with victories over Ireland and Scotland. Against England, Amelia Kerr made 42 and Isabella Gaze scored 28 during a 70-run opening stand. However, Danielle Gibson claimed 2/30 and Lauren Bell took 1/24 to stall the innings, despite a late cameo of 30 off 14 balls from Sophie Devine.
Earlier in Bristol, Ireland broke a 21-match tournament losing streak spanning five editions. Left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire took 2/22 and legspinner Cara Murray claimed 2/13 to restrict the West Indies to 128/7. Player of the match Orla Prendergast then anchored the chase with 63 off 44 deliveries to seal a six-wicket victory. The win capped off a historic 24 hours for Irish cricket following the men’s senior team defeating India in Belfast.
FAQs
Who qualified for the semi-finals from Group B?
England advanced as the undefeated group leaders, while the West Indies secured the runner-up spot to join them in the knockout stage.
Which players retired after the New Zealand vs England match?
New Zealand cricket legends Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu officially retired from international cricket following their team’s elimination.
What record did Danni Wyatt-Hodge break during the tournament?
Danni Wyatt-Hodge set a new record for the most runs scored in a single Women’s T20 World Cup, reaching 282 runs to surpass the previous record of 219 held by Australia’s Beth Mooney.
