Australia beat South Africa by 19 runs to register hat-trick of Women's T20 WC titles

Australian women's team extended its enviable dominance in world cricket furr by winning an unprecedented sixth T20 World Cup trophy with a comfortable 19-run win over a fighting South Africa in summit clash here on Sunday.

Riding on Beth Mooney's unbeaten 74 off 53 balls, Australia first posted a competitive 156 for 6 and n restricted home team to 137 for 6.

Mooney's kck proved to be deciding factor as she single-handedly carried Australian innings with nine boundaries and one hit over fence.

Chasing, opener Laura Wolvaardt (61 off 48 balls) played a valiant lone hand while wickets kept tumbling at or end for hosts.

Wolvaardt hit five boundaries and three huge sixes during her kck.

South Africa made a sedate start, losing Tazmin Brits in fifth over, caught by Tahila McGrath at mid-on. McGrath ran backward to complete a catch above her head off bowling of Darcie Brown.

Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp (11) n shared a 29-run stand for second wicket before latter was caught by Brown off bowling of Ashleigh Gardner.

An over later, re was more misery for South Africa as skipper Sune Luus fell to an unwanted run out to slump to 54 for 3 in 10.4 overs.

With runs drying up, Wolvaardt went for a huge heave towards onside off a Megan Schutt full delivery, only to miss it and be adjudged LBW. batter, South Africa's last hope, went for a review but was unsuccessful as Australia all but sealed fate of match.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Jess Jonassen n accounted for Chloe Tryon (19) in next over before Anneke Bosch was run out a ball later to dash South Africa's slim hopes.

Electing to bat, Australia lost Alyssa Healy (18) early, caught at covers by Nadine De Klerk off bowling of Marizanne Kapp (2/35) in fifth over.

n Ashleigh Gardner (29 off 21) joined hands with Mooney and pair's 46 runs for second wicket stabilised innings before former was brilliantly caught at long-off by South Africa skipper Sune Luus off bowling of left-arm spinner Chloe-Lesleigh Tryon.

But Mooney went about her business in blistering fashion and dispatched bad deliveries to fence to keep scoreboard ticking.

Grace Harris tried to up scoring rate but was cleaned up by left-arm spinner nkululeko Mlaba in 14th over as batter went for a wild heave over square-leg boundary.

Next in, skipper Meg Lanning showed intent from word go, scoring her first runs from a boundary through point region before being brilliantly caught by Tyron at deep backward square leg off bowling of Kapp.

Mooney, however, remained unperturbed as she kept consolidating Australia innings, picking up boundaries with ease.

Even as Mooney held one end up, wickets kept tumbling at or side as Australia tried to find boundaries towards end of innings.

South Africa brilliantly pulled things back towards end of innings by picking up wickets at regular intervals with Mooney remaining stranded at or end.

South African pacer Shabnim Ismail (2/26) had a big role to play in restricting Australia, claiming wickets of Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham off consecutive balls. She was on a rare hat-trick in final over but Tahlia McGrath denied Ismail feat, managing a single off last delivery of innings. 

Im: Twitter/ICC