Australia’s record Women’s World T20 triumph provides the blueprint for other teams to follow

Australia are the undisputed best women’s cricket team in the world, both statistically and systematically. Australia, the No 1 team in both white-ball formats, have the best domestic cricket structure capped by the Women’s Big Bash League, administrative support for the game and investment at all levels, which is backed by a horde of talented players.

So, it was almost a glitch in the matrix that Meg Lanning and Co held no world title for almost four years, since winning their third straight World T20 title in 2014.

They ran into a spirited West Indies side who stunned them in the final of the 2016 World T20. In the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup, they were at the receiving end of Harmanpreet Kaur’s rampage. Two matches in tournaments they otherwise were the most consistent side in.

But in the 2018 World T20 final, the first standalone women’s edition, this anomaly was rectified as Australia lifted their record fourth ICC Women’s World T20 title with a comprehensive eight-wicket win over England.

Never say die

Despite being a clash of the two top-ranked teams, the final wasn’t as close or thrilling as many wanted. The most telling aspect of the performance was that Australia were not at their best, but their less-than-perfect team performance was enough to outplay ODI world champions England.

Several times in the early stages of the match, Australia found themselves on the back foot, but found a way to bounce back. Just like they did after the massive group-stage loss to India. No panic, just go to Plan B when the first doesn’t work.

When spinner Sophie Molineaux was taken for 12 runs in the first over by the dangerous Danielle Wyatt, Lanning brought the lethal pace of Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry on a wicket that was still slow.

Also read: Women’s World T20: Australia’s all-round performance makes them the team to beat

Where there were an unusual number of missed chances in the field, Amy Jones, Player of the Match in the semis, was run out by a brilliant direct hit from teenager Georgia Wareham.

When Wyatt, who was one of only two only English batters to cross double figures, was dropped three times, it was Lanning who finally put an end to her innings with a sharp catch.

Where Player of the Tournament Alyssa Healy was dismissed for less than 45 for the first time this World T20, Player of the Match Ash Gardner (who took 3/22 with the ball) and Meg Lanning put together a fifty partnership that took Australia home in the short chase.

This is the fourth consecutive World T20 final that Lanning has been involved in a fifty partnership. This is only the second time that a player taken three wickets and scored 30-plus runs in a World t20 final. This is the first time that an Australian took 100 T20I wickets, as Ellyse Perry became the only cricketer after Anisa Mohammed to break this mark.

And these three stats embody why Australia are the world’s top team: Consistency, talented youngsters, ever-evolving veterans.

The win was not founded on individual moment of brilliance or a lights-out performance; it was a result of sustained improvement over two years of planning from an all-round team.

Dedicated approach

When Australia lost the title in 2016, they started work on how to regain it. “This has been a long 24 months of working really hard and putting together a really awesome plan, and to have it come off tonight was absolutely awesome,” Perry, who also became the first Australian to play 100 T20I matches, said.

This dedicated approach to the sport is the true legacy of Australian cricket, which has endured one of the worst years in recent times in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal, subsequent bans on top players and a culture review.

Also read: In Australia’s clinical semi-final display, many lessons that India didn’t learn

Cricket Australia have always focussed on the elemental aspects of the sport and not just the national team. As noted in the detailed review, “the most consistently positive story is in connection with the growth in women’s cricket.” In fact, the report specifically stated the women’s team didn’t have the culture issues. The consistent success they have enjoyed is a large part of this.

At the forefront is the Women’s Big Bash, which was a game changer for many players and the women’s game itself. From Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana to Deandra Dottin, players from almost all countries have benefitted from the Australian board’s decision to have an international T20 League for women.

This triumph provides a blueprint for other teams to follow. England are already building on this by improving grassroots development, domestic structure and the Women’s Super League.

“We haven’t had success over the last two years, and the last two World Cups hurt,” the usually stoic Lanning said after showing rare emotion. “So we learned a lot and changed a few things. And the group really embraced that. So this is a very satisfying win.”

Australia failed but they learned from their mistakes: from Lanning, who had a long injury lay-off, to Perry, who worked on her action to become the world-beating unit again. It’s time for other teams, like the emerging India, to learn from this and truly make women’s cricket a competitive field.