On this day in 2013: Australia Women win their sixth World Cup

If Australia’s five quintessential World Cup wins in men’s cricket do sound indomitable and invincible, then one needs to realize the other realm achieved by their women’s cricket team. With the similar attainment of being invincible in every aspect just like the men’s, it was on 17th February 2013, Australia’s women’s contingent fetched their sixth World Cup title out of all the 10 World Cup editions that happened at that time.

Australia’s amazing run

By carrying the tag of traditionally being favourites, the team first began their World Cup campaign by bowling out Pakistan to a score of 84 runs. Following that then came two convincing wins against South Africa and New Zealand thereby making them top the charts of Group B. The promotion into the super six stages although did test them out, especially against West Indies, where they lost the game by a margin of 8 runs while chasing a reasonable score of 164. But a hard-fought win against England and a superior win by nine wickets against Sri Lanka did confirm their ticket for the finals.

#OnThisDay in 2013, Australia won the Women’s Cricket World Cup for the sixth time.

No team has won it more times. pic.twitter.com/w6wGkpWpNy

— ICC (@ICC) February 16, 2021

An unlikely win against Australia in the Super-six stage might have kept the West Indies in high spirits but beating them in the finals did mean a mountain to climb. By winning the toss, skipper Jodie Fields fervently decided to bat first which immediately gave them a good start in the first 10 overs. Runs from the top three including a 76-ball 75 by Jess Duffin did allow the likes of Ellyse Perry to play a quickfire 22-ball 25. With 259-7 in their first innings, Australia had not only posted an unattainable target for West Indies, but also a total which is still the highest in the Women’s World Cup final.

WI collapse to 145 all out

Ellyse Perry bowled brilliantly despite a bruised leg, taking 3 wickets in her first three overs. Lisa Sthalekar also picked up two crucial wickets of Melissa Aguilleira and Deandra Dottin. The WI team finally crumbled and were all out for 145. Australia won the final by 114 runs, the largest margin of victory in a World Cup final. With a T20 World Cup win in October 2012 and a 50-over World Cup win in February, Jodi Fields became the only captain to hold both titles at the same time in men’s and women’s games.