India's campaign at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 ended in heartbreak at Lord's on 28 June as Australia completed the highest successful run chase in the tournament's history, overhauling a target of 171 to win by six wickets with an over to spare. Half-centuries from Ellyse Perry (56 off 38) and Ashleigh Gardner (53* off 31) sealed India's fate, ending Harmanpreet Kaur's side's hopes of a semifinal berth.

Group Stage Standings

The defeat left India third in Group 1 with six points from five matches. Australia and South Africa advanced to the last four with eight points each. It was another painful group-stage exit for India despite posting one of their strongest batting totals of the tournament.

India's Innings: Harmanpreet's Blitz Sets the Target

Winning the toss and electing to bat at Lord's, India were given a solid platform by openers Smriti Mandhana (38 off 37) and Shafali Verma (34 off 26), who put on a 66-run stand before Sophie Molineux bowled Shafali in the 10th over. Mandhana was then run out for 38 following a costly mix-up with Jemimah Rodrigues, leaving India at a precarious juncture.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur walked in and transformed the innings. She rebuilt steadily alongside Rodrigues before unleashing a devastating assault in the death overs, smashing three consecutive sixes to bring up her fifty off just 25 deliveries. Her 56 off 26 — laced with six fours and three sixes — propelled India to 170/4 in 20 overs. Rodrigues, dropped twice by Australian fielders, was retired out for a useful 34 off 28. Sophie Molineux was the pick of Australia's bowlers with 2/46.

Australia's Chase: Perry and Gardner Rewrite History

Renuka Singh struck in the opening over, trapping Georgia Voll lbw for 4, but her first over also conceded 11 runs including four wides. Phoebe Litchfield played a composed 24 off 25 before left-arm spinner Shree Charani ended her innings immediately after the Power-play. Beth Mooney (22 off 20) fell to Deepti Sharma — the 356th wicket of Deepti's international career — leaving Australia at 82/3 and India sensing a way back.

What followed was a match-defining partnership between Perry and Gardner. The experienced pair rotated strike intelligently before accelerating against every Indian bowler. Gardner targeted Radha Yadav with a four and six in the 13th over, while Perry reached her fifty off just 33 balls in the 17th over — an over that leaked 17 runs and effectively ended India's comeback hopes. Perry eventually fell in the final over for 56 off 38 with eight boundaries, but the match was long settled. Gardner remained unbeaten on 53 as Australia completed the chase in 19 overs, setting a new record for the highest successful run chase in Women's T20 World Cup history. Shree Charani took 2/32 for India.

What This Means for India

This is another group-stage elimination for a side that has consistently promised deep tournament runs without delivering them. Harmanpreet's batting form and the 66-run opening stand from Mandhana and Shafali were genuine positives, but India's bowling — particularly the 17-run 17th over — once again proved the difference at the crunch. The inability to defend competitive totals against top-order opposition remains a structural concern heading into the next cycle.

Brief Scores: India 170/4 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 56, Smriti Mandhana 38, Shafali Verma 34; Sophie Molineux 2/46) lost to Australia 172/4 in 19 overs (Ellyse Perry 56, Ashleigh Gardner 53*, Phoebe Litchfield 24; Shree Charani 2/32, Deepti Sharma 1/31) by six wickets.