Australia's women's cricket team captain, Meg Lanning, praised her side for their outstanding performance in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, leading them to an unbeaten record and their sixth title win. The team's efforts culminated in a 19-run win over South Africa in the final.
Lanning acknowledged her team's hard work and perseverance throughout the tournament, stating "All teams came hard at us - we knew that was going to happen. But we performed well throughout the tournament, so super proud. We felt like it was a good score, but we had to bowl well."
The Australian team captain also noted the challenging wicket conditions in the final and praised her team for executing their plans effectively, saying "We felt confident if we could hit the right lengths and target the stumps. We had to put pressure on South Africa."
With this win, Lanning surpassed Ricky Ponting to become the captain with the highest number of ICC titles. Lanning had previously captained Australia to T20 World Cup victories in 2014, 2018, and 2020, as well as the 2022 ODI World Cup title and gold medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The team's victory was made even more special by Lanning's return to the sport after a five-month break, coinciding with her 100th T20I as captain of Australia. Player of the Match in the final, Beth Mooney, also expressed her admiration for Lanning, calling her "one of the greatest leaders, not just in cricket but in sport and just generally as well."
The victory in the Women's T20 World Cup is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Australian team, including the support staff who worked behind the scenes. Lanning emphasized the importance of teamwork, stating "It's a special group. Not just the players, but also the support staff that put in a lot of work behind the scenes, and allow us to go out and play our cricket."
Overall, the Australian team's incredible performance in the Women's T20 World Cup will go down in history as a truly remarkable achievement, and Lanning's leadership and contribution to the team's success will not be forgotten.