Mooney Masterclass weathers the storm for Australia

Beth Mooney and Alana King scripted an unlikely and memorable escape act in the women’s ODI World Cup match against Pakistan, turning what looked like Australia’s day of reckoning into a remarkable demonstration of resilience and class. Australia’s innings teetered on the brink of disaster after losing seven wickets for just 76 runs. Batters fell in clusters to Pakistan’s spinners and sharp fielding; the climb back seemed uphill, if not impossible.

At the heart of the crisis, Beth Mooney stood tall. Walking in at 30 for two and seeing wickets tumble around her, Mooney’s blend of poise under fire, technical excellence, and tactical clarity shone through. She rotated the strike astutely, eschewed unnecessary risk, and soaked up tremendous pressure while searching for anyone to stand with her.

Her first World Cup century was not just about run accumulation—it was a display of grit and nerve. Reaching her ton in 110 balls, Mooney’s 109 off 114 was exactly what crisis batting looks like at the elite level—a mix of determination and skill, anchored in the knowledge that every single run mattered to the fate of her team. According to captain Alyssa Healy, “That is probably one of the best innings I have seen Moons play and I have seen her bat a lot throughout my career ... hands down that is one of the best innings I have seen out there.”

Credit is also due to an exceptional performance from Alana King. She exhibited the skill and resolve usually associated with specialists to steer the team to safety in the company of Mooney. King walked in at a moment of precarity, with Australia at 115 for eight. She produced a knock that not only provided critical support but also reset the record books. Her 51 off 49 balls, featuring three sixes, made her the first batter in women’s ODIs to post a half-century at number ten or lower.

The pair notched up a 106-run partnership, the highest ever for the ninth wicket or lower in women’s ODI cricket, to steal the momentum away from Pakistan. Their combined heroics propelled Australia to a total of 221 for 9 from what had appeared to be a doomed innings— that would prove more than sufficient. The psychological impact of such a last-wicket fightback was evident as Pakistan, demoralized, crumbled for 114 in response, leaving Australia victors by 107 runs.

King’s contributions didn’t end with the bat; her leg-spin snared another crucial wicket in Pakistan’s chase, underlining her all-round value to the side. Her rise as a force with both bat and ball in the years since her 2022 World Cup debut is a testament to her growth and determination to become a mainstay in Australia’s champion line-up.

Statlights

• Mooney’s 109 was her maiden World Cup century
• She has been in sublime ODI form, with two centuries and two fifties in her last six innings—her consistency and temperament peaking when her team needed her the most.
• King’s 51* secured the record for the highest score by a number 10 in women’s ODIs, eclipsing the previous mark of 42* set in 2000.
• Their partnership was the first ever for a ninth-wicket to cross 100 in this format.

Beth Mooney - Photo by Sameera Peiris/Getty Images