Lanning leads Australia to world T20 hat-trick

MIRPUR, Bangladesh, (Reuters) – Australian women completed a World Twenty20 hat-trick after captain Meg Lanning led them to a comfortable six-wicket victory against 2009 champions England in the final yesterday.

 Meg Lanning
Meg Lanning

Lanning inserted England after winning the toss and Sarah Coyte (3-16) and her bowling colleagues did an excellent job to restrict them to 105 for eight in a repeat of the 2012 final in Sri Lanka.

Heather Knight (29) topscored for England who did not have a single six and only eight boundaries in their innings.

Lanning returned to hit 44 off 30 balls, adding 60 runs with Ellyse Perry (31 not out) to lay the foundation for the team’s comprehensive victory with 29 balls to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

“Bowlers did it for us, we had our plans and we executed well,” Lanning said. “Perhaps, we’re attacking in nature and we love to play our shots.”

She smashed two sixes and four fours in her sparkling cameo. Perry struck a six and three fours, also hitting the winning run before being mobbed by her team mates who rushed on to the pitch to celebrate.