Australia beats Sri Lanka to begin defense of Women’s T20 World Cup and England wins

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Australia began its title defense at the Women’s T20 World Cup with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.

England then defeated Bangladesh by 21 runs, handing the tournament host a second straight group loss and sending it to the verge of falling out of semifinals contention.

Sri Lanka could score only 93-7 as Australia medium-pacer Megan Schutt collected 3-12 in four overs and left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux took 2-20.

Beth Mooney led Australia's reply as it overhauled the total in only 14.2 overs. Australia was down to 35-3 at one stage but Mooney scored 43 not out off 38 balls to lead her side to victory.

Opting to bat, Sri Lanka suffered crucial early blows. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu was out lbw to Ashleigh Gardner for just 3.

Schutt and Molineux hit the top order hard as Sri Lanka was reduced to 25-3 in 6.4 overs.

The Asian champions were saved from some embarrassment by Nilakshi de Silva scoring 29 not out off 40 balls, and Harshitha Madavi's 23. They partnered for 31.

Australia’s top order struggled as well. Skipper Alyssa Healy was dismissed for 4 and Georgia Wareham was run out for 3.

When Sugandika Kumari bowled Ellyse Perry for 17 in the sixth over, there was some trouble.

But Mooney dug in deep, and found support from Gardner, who added 12. Together, they shared 43 off only 40 balls and sped up its chase.

Like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka has lost its opening two group matches and was nearly out of contention of advancing to the semis.

Later, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge led England by scoring 41 off 40 in their 118-7. Bangladesh could make only 97-7 despite Sobhana Mostary's 44 off 48.

Maia Bouchier gave England a good start with 23 off 18. She hit three fours and put on 48 off 40 balls for the opening stand with Wyatt-Hodge.

Bangladesh's spinners went to work and leg-spinner Fahima Khatun grabbed 2-18 in four overs, and left-armer Nahida Akter 2-32.

They removed the opening duo and Nat Sciver-Brunt for 2. Ritu Moni bowled Heather Knight for 6 and England was 76-4.

When Wyatt-Hodge, who struck five fours, fell in the 13th over — stumped off Aktar — England’s batting was unable to kick on.

Only Amy Jones (12) also reached double figures as England scored 42 runs off the last 47 deliveries.

Mostary's second 35-plus score in consecutive games propped up Bangladesh’s innings. She hit a four and a six.

But only one other batter reached double figures, Nigar Sultana's 15 off 20 balls. Her run out in the 12th over changed their course.

Sultana and Mostary rebuilt the innings from 17-2 in the fifth over by putting on 34.

Mostary held one end together and was last out, lbw, in the 19th over, but Bangladesh had already lost momentum in its chase.

Spinners Linsey Smith, 2-11, and Charlie Dean, 2-22, were suffocating.

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

England's Linsey Smith bowls during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between England and Bangladesh at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

England's Maia Bouchier bats during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between England and Bangladesh at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

England's Danni Wyatt plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between England and Bangladesh at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Sri Lanka's captain Chamari Athapaththu bowls during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Australia's Ellyse Perry plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Australia's Ellyse Perry hits a four during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Sri Lanka's Harshitha Samarawickrama takes the catch to get wicket of Australia's Ashleigh Gardner during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Australia's Beth Mooney plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Obie Williams said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls.

Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,” Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe’ Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton, who considered Kobe a sister, said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a little over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

This story has been updated to clarify the circumstances of the deaths after further conversations with family members.

Andy Brown takes a break on top of what remains of a tree that destroyed his SUV when it fell during Hurricane Helene on in Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., greets people who were impacted by Hurricane Helene in Augusta, Ga., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, during a visit with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Volunteers for Operation BBQ Relief prepare meals for people without power or water, Oct. 1, 2024, in Augusta, Georgia. (AP Photo / Jeffrey Collins)

Andy Brown uses a chain saw to cut apart a tree that destroyed his SUV when it fell during Hurricane Helene on in Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Undated photos twin brothers Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams, who were killed along with their mother Kobe Williams, in their home in Thomson, Ga., by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Obie Lee Williams via AP)

This undated photo shows Kobe Williams, who was killed with her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams in their home in Thomson, Ga., by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Obie Lee Williams via AP)

This undated photo combo shows from left, Kobe Williams, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams who were killed in their home in Thomson, Ga., by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Obie Lee Williams via AP)