ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA SET FOR SOLD-OUT ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026 FINAL AT LORD’S

Media release

• Sold out Final at Lord’s Cricket Ground to start at 15h30

• Rita Ora to kick start the day’s excitement with pre-match performance starting at 14h30

• Clean Bandit to close the Women’s T20 World Cup with a post-match show

• Members of the media can download the official captains’ pre-final photographs from the ICC Online Media Zone

Unpredictability will meet stability when Australia take on England in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Sunday.  

The hosts have made only one enforced change during the tournament, with Sophia Dunkley replacing captain Nat Sciver-Brunt at number three for three games in the group stage. 

Meanwhile, six-time champions Australia have used 14 of their 15-person squad en route to the final. Alongside that, the side ranked number one in the world have been able to call on as many as eight bowlers in a single match.

It leaves Australia and Sophie Molineux with a selection dilemma, as Alana King, who has a strong track record against England, has not been part of Australia’s last two matches. 

“We will definitely look at that [King playing],” Molineux said. “The unpredictability is a big part of T20 cricket, but at the same time you have to back and trust what we have got.

“We have got eight or nine bowlers in our 11 at the moment. Kingy is certainly in the frame, and we will have a look and make sure we make the right call on that front.” 

England made no guarantees on their XI for Sunday’s final, which begins at 15h30 local time, but the world number two side have played the same side during every game Sciver-Brunt has been available for. 

There are seemingly no concerns around her fitness, having used innovative techniques including seven hours of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance therapy to get her ready for the semi-final against South Africa, where she blasted 75 to set up England’s victory. 

It is impossible to know whether England would have made other changes if Sciver-Brunt had been fit through the tournament, with young bowlers Issy Wong, Lauren Filer and Tilly Corteen-Coleman the three players not to get a game. 

Therefore, for England, the likely challenge is not what XI to pick, but how they go about delivering a fresh challenge to Australia. 

Sciver-Brunt said: “We've got a bowling group that has the skills to bowl anywhere. The batting lineup has been explosive at different moments, in the powerplay, at the death or in the middle.  

“I suppose it's two teams that have played against each other a lot, and so we expect to know the opposition very well, and they'll know us very well.  

“I guess when it comes down to it, it's about who can deliver their skills better on the day. The message has been to enjoy yourself and stick to the skills that we've been working on.

“If we do need to go to a different plan, for the bowlers, they've been practising it throughout the tournament and will be ready to execute that on the pitch. 

“I guess it's just about staying in the moment and knowing that we have Plan B, C, D to turn to if we need to.” 

The side’s most recently met in a T20 international during the Ashes in Australia in early 2025, a series the hosts won 16-0. 

Neither side is paying much attention to that series, with both having undergone changes since then. 

England had an overhaul of their leadership as Charlotte Edwards, herself a T20 World Cup winner at Lord’s in 2009, came in as coach, and Sciver-Brunt replaced Heather Knight as captain. 

Meanwhile, Molineux has taken over the captaincy from Alyssa Healy, who retired earlier this year, having been part of every T20 World Cup triumph for Australia. 

Neither skipper has allowed themselves to think about what a World Cup victory would mean for them personally, as well as their team. 

Molineux said: “If we win tomorrow, there will be a chance to sit back and reflect, but we still have a job to do and that is playing our best game of cricket.  

“It has been a whirlwind captaining the team, it has been amazing so far, and I have really enjoyed it.” 

For Sciver-Brunt, it has been important to block out the outside noise, although she has told her players to absorb the noise of the sold-out crowd when they take to the field for the final. 

She said: “It is going to be a big occasion, but it is why we have done everything we have done so far, everything we have worked on to try and get us to this point.  

“We acknowledge that and try and take in as much of the day as we can, be present and enjoy ourselves.”

Play starts at 15h30 after international music super star, Rita Ora warms up the sold-out crowd with a set of smash hits starting from 14h30. Fans are encouraged to be seated by 14h00 to avoid missing out on the pre-match entertainment. Clean Bandit will perform at the end of the match, ahead of the post-match presentation and trophy lift. 

ENDS