Beth Mooney shone again on the big stage as she top-scored an unbeaten 74 from 54 balls, hitting nine fours and one six, as Australia made 156 from six after opting to bat first at Newlands.

Upon reaching her half-century, Mooney became the first player to record two scores of over fifty in T20 Women’s World Cup finals, having posted an unbeaten 78 during Australia’s crushing victory over India in 2020.

South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt kept her team in contention in her first final appearance with an excellent 61 in reply, but the Proteas lost wickets at regular intervals and finished under 137 for six.

Australia impressed during the power play throughout the tournament and, after winning the toss, got off to another strong start as Alyssa Healy and Mooney put on 36 in the first five overs.

Marizanne Kapp broke that position when she caught Healy for 18, but Ash Gardner picked up where his teammate left off in a second-wicket stand worth 46 with Mooney.

Player of the Tournament Gardner pounded two sixes and two fours to make 29 before she was caught looking to come back in a big way with Chloe Tryon’s bowling.

Grace Harris was then bowled cleanly by Nonkululeko Mlaba for 10 as Australia were down to 103 for three in the fifteenth.

Despite those falling around him, Mooney held his own at the other end and, having made history with his half-century, helped set up a challenging total for South Africa.

Shabnim Ismail, fresh from her three-wicket haul in England’s surprise semi-final, struck twice on successive balls in the final to finish with figures of two for 26, while Kapp claimed two for 35, but Australia would have felt in a confident mood at the halfway point of the final.

The conquering Aussies immediately went to work on the ball as South Africa failed to capitalize on their power play, Tazmin Brits, man of the match against England, netting 10 of 17 balls before falling to Darcie Brown.

The hosts were less than a run down when Kapp overtook Gardner straight into the hands of Brown and a huge mix-up in the middle led to captain Sune Luus running out of money.

That left South Africa on 54 for three, but Wolvaardt’s impressive form continued as he held his own at the top of the order, making his third successive half-century in the tournament.

She scored five fours and three sixes to keep her side in the game, but Australia almost confirmed their sixth World Cup crown in eight editions when the 23-year-old got caught lbw trying to sweep Megan Schutt in the 17th. .