During five-time WT20WC winners Australia Women’s opening match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 (vs New Zealand), Aussie captain Meg Lanning became the new record holder of playing most matches as a captain in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history.
It was the third match of the ongoing eighth WT20WC in Paarl, South Africa. After New Zealand Women sent the last two-time WT20WC winners to bat first, the Aussies scored 173/9 in 20 overs. While the wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy scored 55 off 38 balls (9 fours), skipper Meg Lanning (41 off 33 balls) and Ellyse Perry (40 off 22 balls) also managed the 40s.
Among the White Ferns, Amelia Kerr (3/23) and Lea Tahuhu (3/37) bagged three wickets each.
In reply, New Zealand Women were bundled out for only 76 runs in 14 overs as the Australians won by 97 runs. Amelia Kerr was the only batter in that innings to reach the 20-run mark (21).
The 25-year-old Australian off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner bagged five wickets in that innings as her final bowling figures were 3-0-12-5.
Meg Lanning: Most appearances as captain in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
It was Meg Lanning’s 25th match as an Australian Women’s captain in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The record holder of most WT20I appearances as a captain now surpassed former English Women’s skipper Charlotte Edwards (24 matches) to become the new record holder of most matches as a captain in WT20WC history.
Ashleigh Gardner: Achieved third-best bowling figures in WT20WC history
On the other hand, it was the fifth time in WT20WC history to experience a fifer. After Julie Hunter, Gardner became the second Aussie bowler to record a five-wicket haul in WT20WC history. Also, Gardner’s 5/12 became the third-best bowling figure in this tournament's history.
Player (Team) | Bowling figures | Opposition | Venue | Year |
Deandra Dottin (West Indies Women) | 3.4-1-5-5 | Bangladesh Women | Providence | 2018 |
Sune Luus (South Africa Women) | 4-0-8-5 | Ireland Women | Chennai | 2016 |
Ashleigh Gardner (Australia Women) | 3-0-12-5 | New Zealand Women | Paarl | 2023 |
Priyanka Roy (India Women) | 3.5-0-16-5 | Pakistan Women | Taunton | 2009 |
Julie Hunter (Australia Women) | 3.2-0-22-5 | West Indies Women | Colombo (RPS) | 2012 |
New Zealand Women: 76 all out
The 76 all-out is the new lowest completed total for New Zealand Women in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history. Their previous lowest record was 85 all out (20 overs) against England Women at Lord’s during the Final of the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (2009).
Also, 76 all-out was the fourth-lowest completed WT20I total for the White Ferns.
