England could hardly have asked for better preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final. Seven wins from seven matches, dominant performances with both bat and ball and a place in the title clash at Lord’s have established them as one of the standout teams of the tournament. Yet, between them and history stands a familiar foe – Australia.

As for England’s resurgence under Charlotte Edwards, the final presents a psychological hurdle that has troubled generations. England have never beaten Australia in a Women’s World Cup final, losing all six previous meetings in the ODI and T20 World Cups.

Three of those defeats came in the 50-over showpiece (1988, 1997 and 2022), while Australia also got the better of England in the 2012, 2018 and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup finals. That challenging record makes Sunday’s clash more than just lifting the trophy, it’s an opportunity to finally end Australia’s hooliganism.

However, Australia have once again shown why they remain the benchmark in women’s cricket. The defending champions are unbeaten in the final after performing brilliantly in the group stage before defeating West Indies in the semi-finals.

England have matched that impeccable performance, defeating every opponent that came their way and sealing their place in the final with a thumping 40-run win over South Africa. With both teams yet to face a single defeat, the tournament is headed towards the blockbuster final that everyone was expecting.

Battle between two flawless campaigns

England look to be the most complete team in the competition. Their batting has been consistently good, while a disciplined bowling attack has throttled opponents throughout the tournament. They started their campaign with an emphatic 87-run win over Sri Lanka, before defeating Ireland, Scotland, West Indies and New Zealand in the group stage.

The semi-final against South Africa further underlined their resilience Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight save England The bowlers secured a comprehensive 40-run victory with a match-winning partnership of 133 runs at the loss of 3 wickets for 23 runs.

Australia’s campaign has been equally brutal. Easy wins over Bangladesh, Netherlands, Pakistan and India in the group stage were followed by an emphatic eight-wicket win over West Indies in the semi-finals.

Their depth has once again set them apart from the rest of the field, with different players stepping up in every match and ensuring there is little to no drop in standards regardless of position.

Australia’s dynasty meets England’s dream

Australia reach the final chasing their seventh Women’s T20 World Cup title, having already won the tournament in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023. Victory at Lord’s will also give them a remarkable 14th Women’s World title in the ODI and T20 World Cups, further cementing one of the greatest dynasties in the international game.

England’s inspiration is equally compelling. Their only Women’s T20 World Cup win came in the inaugural edition in 2009, when they defeated New Zealand at Lord’s.

Since then, he has repeatedly faced Australian obstacles on the biggest stage. After 17 years, another final at the Home of Cricket provides an opportunity to end that long wait, reclaim the trophy and do so in front of the home crowd.

Match winners who can decide the title

England’s hopes largely rest on captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose stellar performance in the tournament was highlighted by his brilliant innings of 75 against South Africa in the semi-final. Danny Wyatt-Hodge has provided explosive starts throughout the contest, while the experience of Heather Knight has repeatedly carried the innings under pressure. Sophie Ecclestone remains England’s biggest trump card with the ball and Charlie Dean’s off-spin has played a key role in breaking partnerships throughout the tournament.

Meanwhile, Australia have match-winners in every department. Beth Mooney has once again been one of the most reliable batsmen of the tournament, while Ellyse Perry’s experience and patience has shone through in high-pressure matches.

Ash Gardner provides real all-round quality, and captain Sophie Molineux has assembled a bowling attack that has stifled opponents throughout the competition. Georgia Wareham’s leg-spin could also prove decisive on the Lord’s surface, which is expected to help the slower bowlers.

England may have the momentum and home support heading into the biggest match of the tournament, but history is firmly on Australia’s side. The six-time champions have time and again found another gear when silverware is on the line, especially against England.

If Sciver-Brunt’s side are to end their 17-year wait for a T20 crown, they will have to achieve something the England women’s team has never been able to do before, defeat Australia in a World Cup final. Only then will Hoodoo finally be put to rest.

Australia Women vs England Women head to head

Australia have won 23 of the 45 women’s T20 matches played against England since the two sides first met in 2005. The Australian team has also had the upper hand in the Women’s T20 World Cup and has won five of its seven matches in the tournament. England’s last win over Australia came in July 2023, with the Australians having won each of their last three encounters, including all three Ashes clashes last year.

Australia Women vs England Women Predicted XI

australia women

Georgia Woll, Beth Mooney (wk), Phoebe Lichfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashley Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (c), Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton.

England Women

Amy Jones (wk), Dannii Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley/Nate Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Danielle Gibson, Charlotte Dean (c), Sophie Ecclestone, Lynsey Smith, Lauren Bell

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France vs Paraguay team news

As expected, Paraguay have named a defence-first lineup, keeping a back five to frustrate France. Having already beaten Germany on penalties in the previous round, Gustavo Gomez’s side will be hoping another disciplined performance can keep their World Cup dream alive and set up a quarter-final clash against Morocco.

Paraguay XI: Orlando Gil; Juan Jose Caceres, Gustavo Gomez (captain), Gustavo Velazquez, Omar Alderete, Junior Alonso; Miguel Almiron, Diego Gomez, Andres Cubas, Matias Galarza; Julio Enciso.

Shreyas Iyer (BCCI photo)

New Delhi: Captain of India Shreyas Iyer Ravi Bishnoi refused to blame despite the leg spinner’s costly 17th over proving decisive in England’s four-wicket win in the second T20I at Old Trafford on Saturday.Chasing 191 runs, England played an unbeaten inning of 76 runs. jacob bethel Reaching the target with one over to spare. The turning point came in the 17th over when Bishnoi conceded 29 runs, helping England take complete control of the target.

that over changed the game

India looked to be firmly in control after restricting England to 142/5 in 16 overs. But the match took a dramatic turn in the 17th over.Bishnoi started with a no-ball, which Bethel dispatched for six runs on a free hit. The spinner then bowled another no-ball and Bethel continued the attack with another six, a four, another six, a single and a double and scored 29 runs from the over.Although this over proved costly, Iyer stood by his young spinner after the match.“I think we all know where it went, but I don’t want to point to any particular player. I thought, OK he will come back strong after that (first no ball). But the 17th over troubled us. But he will learn,” Iyer said.

‘It was a phenomenal score’

The Indian captain believed that his team had scored the winning score on a challenging surface with uneven bounce.He said, “I think it was a phenomenal score with different bounces on this pitch. For the first 15 overs we were on top of the game, but suddenly Jacob played the way he did, credit to him.”Iyer credited Jacob Bethel for changing the course of the target with his aggressive batting. He also felt that England had assessed the conditions well before launching their attack.“They had already analyzed the dimensions of the field and the wicket,” he said.The Indian captain especially praised the fearless mentality of the young England batsman.“He has that dogged attitude where he is fearless. The way he bats in the nets… there is something to learn from him. I was not expecting him to be nervous.”Despite the disappointing defeat, Iyer said the team will move ahead and focus on the third T20 match.He concluded, “Absolutely, I’m always excited and I know this is the lowest you can go.”The third T20 match of the five-match series will be played on July 7 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Serena Williams’ much-awaited reunion with sister Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2026 will have to wait after the 23-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the women’s doubles event due to a knee injury.

The 44-year-old American announced the decision in an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, saying he was heartbroken to be ruled out despite making every effort to recover in time. Serena suffered an injury during her first-round singles match against Australia’s Maya Joyce and was unable to prepare her knee for the doubles.

Serena wrote, “I am very sad to withdraw from doubles. It is a gift to come back to compete again, and the opportunity to play with Venus Williams once again means a lot to me. I did everything possible to prepare, but unfortunately my knee is not ready to compete.”

The Williams sisters, who received wildcard entry into the tournament, were set to make their first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since the 2022 US Open. The iconic pair have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including six Wimbledon crowns, making their reunion one of the most anticipated storylines of this year’s championships.

Emotional comeback from knee injury ends

Serena withdrew just days after returning to Grand Slam singles competition for the first time in nearly four years. Although she lost in the opening round, the seven-time Wimbledon singles champion overcame 20-year-old Australian Maya Joyce. Before losing 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 in a thrilling match on Center Court.. The performance reflected the talent that has made Serena one of the greatest players in tennis history, even if the outcome did not go her way.

Serena revealed the severity of the injury in her Instagram post, sharing a photo of the syringe used to drain fluid from her knee after the singles match.

She said, “The picture of the syringe shows the fluid that they took out of my knee after my singles match… Oh! The good news is that my knee shouldn’t swell or accumulate that much fluid again. The bad news is that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it ready for doubles.”

Serena thanked tournament director Jamie Baker and Wimbledon organizers for giving her every opportunity to recover, and also thanked the fans who made her return special. She signed off with a hopeful message: “All I can say is stay connected with a city near you,” hinting that her latest comeback isn’t over yet.

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India handed Vaibhav Suryavanshi a maiden T20I call-up after the 15-year-old’s record-breaking Indian Premier League 2026 campaign. While many expected him to be included straight into the playing XI, India have instead taken a patient approach.

Gautam Gambhir led team management did not decide to hand over Suryavanshi is the first movie During the two-match Ireland series. Despite India’s disastrous 0-2 defeat, the team stuck to the same combination for the first T20I against England, resulting in the young left-hander having to play another game on the bench.

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel, himself one of India’s youngest Test debutants, said the team management should be clear in its communication with Suryavanshi. Parthiv said that if India wants to retain its T20 World Cup-winning opening pair, then they should tell Vaibhav that at present there is no place for him in the playing eleven.

“When you are part of the coaching staff, you have to make sure that you communicate clearly with the players. Even if you are not playing him, you have to tell him that. He is a 15-year-old kid, so you have to be very careful with him and advise him to be patient,” Parthiv Patel said on Geostar.

“There are a number of players who have performed really well. Sanju Samson was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan, who is batting at No. 3, is the ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20I batsman, while Abhishek Sharma is No. 2. At the moment, There is no place for Vaibhav in the elevenAnd he needs to be really well informed,” he said.

However, the former India cricketer believes that Vaibhav is likely to make his debut at some stage during the ongoing England series, which still has four matches left.

India will play the second T20 match of the series in Manchester on Saturday, July 4. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are expected to continue as the opening pair.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi of India (ANI photo)

The excitement surrounding Vaibhav Suryavanshi has extended far beyond India, with the 15-year-old capturing the attention of cricket fans around the world. Such has been the hype around the teenage sensation that supporters have been buying tickets for India’s T20I matches in Ireland in the hope of seeing him in action. However, Suryavanshi remained on the sidelines during the two-match series.The story didn’t change after India traveled to Durham for the T20I against England. Despite growing anticipation surrounding his international debut, the youngster once again had to make his way to the bench. His frequent misses have surprised many former cricketers including Ravi Shastri Sunil Gavaskar. Now, the former England captain michael vaughn And Alastair Cook has also raised questions on India’s decision.Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Vaughan admitted that he could not understand why Suryavanshi was not given a chance, even as he suggested that he would like to ask questions directly to the BCCI and selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar.Vaughan said on the Stick to Cricket podcast, “We should be saying to the BCCI and the selectors, Ajit, how come he didn’t play against Ireland? Our guy, the kid,” Cook replied: “I’m there tomorrow, and I’m driving as a fan to make sure that 15-year-old kid plays.”While Vaughan and Cook’s comments reflect growing concern over Suryavanshi’s absence, the Indian team management seems unlikely to change its stance. The selectors and coaching staff have consistently said that Kishore will get his chance at the appropriate time.At present, Suryavanshi’s path to joining the playing eleven is closed. Abhishek Sharma And sanju samsonBoth of them are firmly established in India’s T20I team. After playing a key role in India’s third T20 World Cup win four months ago, neither batsman is expected to lose his place any time soon.Nevertheless, its omission has continued to spark debate given Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary growth over the past five months. This left-handed player, captaining India for the first time, led India to the Under-19 World Cup title and played a brilliant inning of 175 runs in the final. He then continued that momentum in the IPL and became the youngest Orange Cap winner by scoring 776 runs.Suryavanshi also impressed for India A in Sri Lanka, before joining the senior team for the Ireland tour. His match-winning 94 in the final included the fastest half-century in List A cricket and played a decisive role in India’s comprehensive victory, further strengthening the case for those eager to see the teenage prodigy make his international debut.

Cape Verde coach Bubista said his team “showed the world our identity” after the island nation’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign ended with a thrilling 3-2 extra-time defeat to defending champions Argentina in the round of 32 on July 3.

argentina vs cabo verde, FIFA World Cup 2026: highlight

Playing in their first World Cup and ranked 67th in the world, Cape Verde emerged as one of the biggest success stories of the tournament. They defeated former champions Spain and Uruguay in the group stage and then defeated Argentina for the full 120 minutes in a match that was not expected to be this close.

Despite the sadness of elimination, Bubista said that pride outweighed disappointment.

“The feeling in the dressing room is one of sadness,” Bubista told reporters.

“Of course, we are sad, because we are leaving the competition and because we have come so close, so close.

“Even if they were sad, the players were hugging each other, crying. That’s part of growing. It helps us grow, and also shows that the team has a spirit.”

the former defender said equaling the longest reigning world champion It was a testament to the confidence and character of his team.

“I’m proud of our players and what they did. They did it with honor and courage,” he said.

“I think Argentina showed why they are world champions. I think I could say our team showed how willing they were to play this match.

“I don’t think any other team could have scored two goals against Argentina and taken the match to extra time. I think it shows the character of our team and how skilled our team is. They did it bravely and we never lost our identity.”

For Bubista, the campaign was about much more than results. It was an opportunity for Cape Verde, a country of over half a million people, to introduce itself to the world of football.

“More than just playing, it was about showing our identity to the world,” he said.

“We had a team that wanted to play throughout the tournament, as long as we were here, and play against the best teams in the world.

“We played fairly and we were on par with our opponents.

“I think everyone should thank the players for their tournament, because they showed what our little country is all about.”

Cape Verde left the tournament without making the quarterfinals but with a place in history. His fearless performance and extraordinary performance against Argentina ensured that the World Cup debutant received respect far beyond the result.

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