The Southern Stars' six-year reign as World Twenty20 champions is over, with Meg Lanning conceding her side was outplayed by West Indies in a dramatic decider at Kolkata.
Half-centuries from captain Lanning and Elyse Villani powered the Southern Stars to 5-148 on Sunday, their highest score of the tournament and a record total for a women's World T20 final.
It looked a fine platform for a side seeking their fourth straight T20 title - an unprecedented feat in either men's or women's cricket.
But skipper Stafanie Taylor and 18-year-old Hayley Matthews made a mockery of the tricky target at Eden Gardens.
The pair shared an 120-run opening stand, firing their side to an eight-wicket victory with three balls remaining.
"Full credit to the West Indies. They outplayed us," Lanning said.
"They blew us away with the bat.
"West Indies came out firing, really took the game on and deserved their win."
Britney Cooper and Deandra Dottin scampered through for the winning runs by taking an overthrow after Megan Schutt missed a run-out chance from close range.
It triggered jubilant celebrations, with members of West Indies' men's and women's sides rushing onto the field and dancing.
"Being honest it was a pretty comfortable chase in the end. We scrambled and did pretty well to make a game of it," Australia coach Matthew Mott said.
"But I thought they batted exceptionally well."
Taylor declared pre-match that her team, contesting their first World T20 final, wouldn't be intimidated against the three-time defending champions.
Taylor proceeded to walk the walk, scoring 59 to finish both the leading run-scorer and player of the tournament.
The Sydney Thunder star was overshadowed by Matthews, who hammered three sixes in her player-of-the-match knock of 66 off 45 balls.
"It was great to knock off such a good score to win the tournament, It was always going to be a hard total," Matthews said.
The teenager couldn't have picked a better time to deliver her maiden T20 half-century, which was also the highest ever score in a women's World T20 final.
West Indies needed 29 runs off 26 deliveries when legspinner Kristen Beams finally broke the boundary-laden partnership, with Matthews chipping a short ball to Alex Blackwell.
There wasn't even a hint of panic from Taylor until she departed and left the victory equation as five runs off eight balls.
Cooper struck the winning runs after a wild throw from Schutt, who could have lobbed the ball back to bowler Ellyse Perry to complete a run-out.
"I wasn't worried about anything, I said to myself `no way in hell will Australia come back and win this'," Cooper said.
Dottin earlier dismissed both Villani and Perry to finish the leading wicket-taker of the event.
Dottin conceded a single run in the final over of Australia's innings, one of many moments that Lanning's team will rue.
"It was certainly a pivotal moment," Lanning said.
"We thought we were a little bit short ... we needed 160-plus on that wicket."
Share
