England Women outclassed West Indies Women by 38 runs in the 22nd match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord's. After being invited to bat first, England Women posted a huge total of 186/7 in their 20 overs.

After losing two early wickets, Danni Wyatt-Hodge played a brilliant knock of 65 off 42 balls. Her valuable 65-run partnership for the third wicket with Alice Capsey put England in a strong position early in the innings. Heather Knight then played a blazing knock of 43 runs off 26 deliveries towards the end, helping England Women cross the 180-run mark.

Ashmini Munisar (2/42 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for West Indies Women, while Karishma Ramharack, Chinelle Henry, and Hayley Matthews picked up one wicket each.

In reply, West Indies struggled to keep up with the required run rate despite a fighting effort from Chinelle Henry, who remained unbeaten on 51. Charlie Dean (2/31 in 4 overs), Sophie Ecclestone (1/22 in 4 overs), and Lauren Bell (1/20 in 4 overs) controlled the chase effectively and shared four wickets between them.

With this victory, England Women booked their place in the semi-finals, while West Indies Women remain in contention for a knockout spot.

Controversy Surrounds Matthews' Dismissal

One of the biggest talking points of the match came during the West Indies innings when captain Hayley Matthews was dismissed following a controversial review.

Matthews was initially given not out after appearing to miss a cut shot against Linsey Smith. England reviewed the decision, and UltraEdge showed a spike, leading the third umpire to overturn the on-field call and declare her out caught behind.

However, replay footage appeared to show a gap between bat and ball, prompting Matthews to strongly protest the decision. She spent several minutes discussing the ruling with the umpires both on and off the field and continued to question the verdict while watching replays from the dugout. Despite the frustration, the dismissal stood, leaving West Indies without their most influential batter at a crucial stage.

West Indies Make Bright Start With the Ball

The Caribbean side enjoyed an excellent beginning after winning the toss. Chinelle Henry struck in the opening over when Amy Jones edged behind after chasing a delivery that moved away from her. The breakthrough gave West Indies an early boost.

However, Danni Wyatt-Hodge quickly shifted momentum. She attacked Henry in her next over, collecting boundaries through aggressive stroke play and helping England recover from the early setback. West Indies then picked up another wicket when off-spinner Ashmini Munisar trapped Sophia Dunkley lbw after the batter attempted a sweep shot.

Despite losing two wickets inside the powerplay, England continued to score freely. Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey rotated the strike smartly and found boundaries regularly, guiding England to their highest powerplay total of the tournament at 57 for 2.

Wyatt-Hodge Leads England Recovery

After scoring a century earlier in the tournament, Wyatt-Hodge once again delivered when her team needed her most. She punished anything short and played several elegant drives through the off side. Her confidence and timing allowed England to maintain momentum even as wickets fell around her.

The experienced batter reached her half-century in just 32 deliveries and moved to the top of the tournament's run-scoring charts. Capsey also played an important role during a 65-run partnership for the third wicket. She struck some attractive boundaries before being caught at long-on while trying to accelerate against Karishma Ramharack.

Knight Adds Valuable Runs

Heather Knight joined Wyatt-Hodge at the crease and continued England's progress. The pair added another 40 runs and looked set to push England towards a massive total. However, the exhausting heat eventually played a role when Wyatt-Hodge was run out while attempting a second run after Knight hit the ball directly to a cover fielder.

Even after her departure, Knight continued attacking and kept England in a strong position.

England Finish Strong Despite Late Wickets

England could not fully capitalize during the final overs. Freya Kemp, who had starred in a previous match, fell while attempting a sweep shot against Matthews. Knight was eventually run out after surviving a couple of close calls, while Dani Gibson was dismissed on the second-last ball of the innings.

Even so, England finished with a score that proved more than enough under the challenging conditions.

England Spinners Tighten Their Grip

West Indies needed a fast start and initially looked promising. Deandra Dottin launched an assault on Charlie Dean, smashing 15 runs from the first four deliveries of an over that included two boundaries and a powerful six.

Dean responded immediately by dismissing Dottin on the final ball of the over when she found Alice Capsey near the boundary. At 46 for 2 after six overs, West Indies were still in the contest. However, England's spinners gradually took control.

Sophie Ecclestone delivered economical overs, while Dean struck again when Jannillea Glasgow chopped the ball onto her stumps. The steady pressure prevented West Indies from building momentum and left them chasing the game.

Henry and Claxton Offer Resistance

Chinelle Henry and Jahzara Claxton refused to surrender easily. The pair shared a determined 63-run partnership for the fifth wicket and briefly gave West Indies hope of producing a remarkable comeback.

Henry in particular impressed with her attacking stroke play and remained unbeaten on a well-made half-century. England's fielders also endured a few nervous moments, dropping two chances in quick succession. Memories briefly resurfaced of the teams' previous Women's T20 World Cup meeting in 2024, when England's fielding mistakes proved costly. This time, however, the missed opportunities did not change the outcome.

England March Into Semi-Finals

England's all-round performance ultimately proved too strong for West Indies. The victory secured their place in the semi-finals and confirmed them as the first team to reach the last four of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026.

Brief Scorecard