Australia storms into another Women's T20 World Cup final after crushing West Indies

LONDON (AP) — Australia cruised into yet another Women's Twenty20 World Cup final after hammering the West Indies by eight wickets at The Oval on Tuesday.

The West Indies made 125-7 and the inadequacy of that total was exposed by Australia hunting it down with seven overs to spare.

Opener Beth Mooney and Ash Gardner partnered in the seventh over of the chase and smoked the bowlers in an unbeaten combination of 63 runs from 37 balls for a winning 127-2.

Mooney had 61 from 36 balls and her eighth T20 World Cup fifty, tied for the most with New Zealand's Suzie Bates. Gardner had 35 from 20 and the winning runs from a fourth boundary flicked off her pads.

Undefeated Australia will chase its seventh T20 World Cup crown in its eighth final in 10 tournaments. At Lord’s on Sunday it will face host England or South Africa. Their semifinal is on Thursday at The Oval.

“The T20 World Cup, you just have to ride it. It's full of momentum, swings,” Australia captain Sophie Molineux said. “The group's really enjoyed it and that's the important thing.”

The West Indies was shaken moments before the semifinal when allrounder Deandra Dottin was helped off the field by teammates after the anthems. “To see her almost passing out during the national anthems was a bit scary,” captain Hayley Matthews said.

Australia lost Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield in the powerplay but was relieved by Mooney taking 18 runs, including four boundaries — half her total — from Jahzara Claxton's first and only bowled over in the tournament.

Ellyse Perry retired hurt on 2 out of precaution for a quad issue. Molineux said she should be OK for the final. Gardner replaced Perry and ended up as the player of the match.

The allrounder's earlier off-spin took 2-13, removing Claxton and Stafanie Taylor in the 11th over to hasten the West Indies' demise.

The West Indies' only two wins over Australia in 19 previous T20s starred Matthews with 66 runs in the 2016 World Cup final and 132 in Sydney in 2023. Matthews made 30 from 28 this time, the pressure on her building while opening partner Qiana Joseph was eating deliveries. Joseph had 8 from 19 at one point and was out after Matthews for 16 from 22.

Dottin's absence made a good start by the West Indies vital. But it was six down by the time Dottin appeared. She smacked an unbeaten 16-ball 26 in front of a crowd of 10,023 in an afternoon start required by India officials, who anticipated India qualifying. But India was eliminated by Australia on Sunday.

Supporting Gardner against the West Indies were Molineux with 2-30 and Georgia Wareham, who bowled Matthews in her 2-17.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Ashleigh Gardner, second from right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of West Indies' Stafanie Taylor during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal between Australia and West Indies in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Australia's Georgia Wareham celebrates the wicket of West Indies' captain Hayley Matthews during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal between Australia and West Indies in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Australia's Ashleigh Gardner hits a six during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal between Australia and West Indies in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Australia's Beth Mooney plays a shot during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal between Australia and West Indies in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Chelsea evaded more serious UEFA sanctions Tuesday for overspending, while its sister club Strasbourg got the heaviest fine of 13 million euros ($14.8 million) among 14 clubs that broke financial monitoring rules.

Aston Villa was ordered to pay 7.5 million euros ($8.6 million), which was a one-third cut from its UEFA financial sanction last year.

One year ago, Chelsea was fined 31 million euros ($35.5 million) and set stricter financial targets which the club just missed by spending more than 70% of its revenue on wages and transfers in 2025, UEFA said.

Chelsea was fined just 1 million euros ($1.14 million) Tuesday, with a further 2 million euros deferred, after a season in which it won the Club World Cup and got almost $115 million from FIFA.

Villa was fined 7.5 million euros with twice that sum deferred in order to meet targets next year, when the new Europa League title holder will play in the Champions League.

UEFA praised Chelsea and Villa for making financial progress while urging both clubs toward “continuing to significantly decrease their squad cost ratio in 2026.”

Chelsea, however, should see a big revenue drop because the team will not play in the Champions League or any European competition next season after a 10th-place finish in the Premier League.

Chelsea did earn about $90 million in June in compensation from Manchester City for hiring its former coach Enzo Maresca and the sale of Spain defender Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid.

Other fines ordered Tuesday include 7 million euros ($8 million) for Fenerbahce, and 6 million euros ($6.85 million) for each of Newcastle, Juventus and Fiorentina.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Aston Villa's John McGinn prepares to lift the trophy after the Europa League final soccer match between Freiburg and Aston Villa in Istanbul, Turkey, May 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

FILE - Chelsea team members, accompanied by President Donald Trump, celebrate with the championship trophy after the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)