Unbeaten Australia chase a semi-final spot as Pakistan search for a first win at Leeds
Australia put their perfect record on the line against a winless, already-eliminated Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday, with a place in the last four edging closer for the holders.
Jun 23, 2026
Australia arrive at Headingley with a perfect record and a simple aim: keep winning and the semi-finals take care of themselves. Pakistan, already out of the Women’s T20 World Cup, turn up in Leeds on Tuesday still chasing the first victory of a campaign that has slipped away from them.
The Group 1 fixture, which starts at 11pm IST, pits the tournament’s form side against its most out-of-sorts. Australia have won all three of their games and sit top of the table on six points. Pakistan have lost all three and cannot reach the last four, but they can still play for pride and a result that would mean a great deal back home.
Australia in ominous form
The holders have barely been tested. They opened with a 65-run win over South Africa, then beat the Netherlands by 98 runs, before a nine-wicket dismantling of Bangladesh at this same Headingley ground. Beth Mooney and Ash Gardner have supplied the runs, the spinners have choked teams in the middle overs, and the batting card runs deep enough to make 180 feel routine.
A win on Tuesday would leave Australia within touching distance of a semi-final place with a game to spare. They have not lost a Women’s T20I to Pakistan in 14 attempts, a head-to-head record so lopsided that an upset would rank among the bigger shocks of the tournament.
Pakistan playing for something else
Pakistan’s hopes ended before they reached Leeds. A heavy defeat to India set the tone, a narrow loss to South Africa followed, and Bangladesh’s 23-run win on Saturday confirmed their elimination with games to spare. The batting has too often left the bowlers with too little to defend.
There is still something to chase here. A competitive total and a few wickets against the best side in the world would give a young group some belief to carry forward, and a win would be the kind of result that lingers long after a disappointing campaign. The bowlers will fancy the conditions if the skies stay cloudy, with seam movement on offer at Headingley.
Why India will be watching
The result matters beyond these two teams. India, beaten by South Africa in their last outing, need to win their remaining games to be sure of a semi-final spot, and Australia are their final group opponent. Anything that hints at a chink in the Australian armour will be noted with interest in the India camp. For now, though, the smart money stays firmly with the side that has not put a foot wrong.