The moment every cricket fan has been waiting for has finally arrived, as the finalists for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup have been confirmed. After weeks of thrilling contests featuring 12 teams since the tournament began on June 12, the competition has reached its grand finale, with Australia set to face hosts England in a mouth-watering title clash.
Australia booked their place in the summit clash by overcoming West Indies in the first semi-final, while England joined them after defeating South Africa by 40 runs in the second semi-final on Thursday. With two of the strongest teams in women’s cricket set to battle for the trophy, anticipation is building rapidly ahead of Sunday’s final at Lord’s. Former England men’s captain Nasser Hussain has also weighed in on the contest, revealing which side he believes starts as the favourite.
Nasser Hussain picks favourite for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final
Speaking on Sky Sports, Hussain admitted that England have every chance of upsetting Australia but stressed that overcoming the mental challenge will be just as important as their cricketing skills. According to the former captain, England’s biggest hurdle is convincing themselves that they can beat the dominant Australian side. He believes the current England squad should avoid carrying any scars from previous defeats and instead embrace the confidence that comes with playing under a new coaching setup.
“The first thing is the mind games with themselves. Do they really believe they can beat Australia? That is the first hurdle to get over. No mental baggage, no scarring. It needs to be, ‘we are a new England, under a new coach, we are coming at you, Australia’,” said Hussain.
Hussain also praised Australia’s remarkable squad depth, particularly their batting lineup, which he believes is their greatest strength.
“I don’t see many weaknesses in that Australia side, to be honest, and their biggest strength is a long batting line-up that keeps coming at you,” he added.
However, the former batter pointed out that Australia’s batting depth could occasionally become a minor weakness if players rely too heavily on those coming after them.
“The only thing is that maybe sometimes because they have such a long batting line-up they occasionally may think, ‘I can leave it to the next batter, then the next batter’ and then all of a sudden they find themselves in a bit of trouble,” reckoned Hussain.
Despite highlighting that possibility, Hussain ultimately backed Australia to enter the final as favourites while acknowledging that England are capable of producing a memorable performance in front of their home supporters.
“In a one-off final at Lord’s, with a massive home crowd behind them, can England beat Australia? Of course they can. But Australia are favourites,” he concluded.
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Fans await a blockbuster showdown at Lord’s
With the finalists now confirmed, all eyes are on the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, which will host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, July 5. The historic venue is expected to witness a packed house as England chase a dream triumph on home soil against the tournament’s most dominant side.
Australia have once again showcased why they remain the benchmark in women’s cricket, producing consistent performances throughout the tournament. England, meanwhile, have steadily built momentum and head into the final with confidence after eliminating South Africa in convincing fashion.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
