Women's World T20: Australia Women's Team Profile

This is the sixth Women’s World T20 that will be played between November 9 and 24 in West Indies. The only team that has dominated the Women’s World T20 is Australia, winning the title three out of five times. The last year’s runners-up will look to have their hands back on the prestigious Women’s World T20 Trophy. The campaign begins on November 9 and the Australia Women play Pakistan on the opening day. They are placed in Group B alongside India, Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan.

Let’s have a quick look at the Australian squad:

Meg Lanning (C)

Source: International Cricket Council

At just 26 years of age, Meg Lanning has been a superstar for Australia. She has been captaining the T20 for more than four years now and her success, both as a batswoman and captain has been incredible. The right hand bat was the third highest run getter in ICC Women’s World T20 2012. She is one of the best players at the top of the order who provides solidity to the Australian batting line-up.

Rachael Haynes (VC)

Source: Twitter

She is one of the senior players in the Australian squad, having played more than 40 T20Is. With a wealth of experience by her side, the left hand bat will look to join hands with her skipper and strengthen the batting of the side. The 31-year old was Australia’s leading run scorer in the Women’s World Cup 20123 that was held in India.

Nicole Bolton

Source: Women’s CricZone

She is a surprise package in the Australian side. Despite her quality batting, the southpaw has played just two international two T20s for Australia. The 29 year old averages a healthy 46.22 in ODIs but somehow she has been unable to cement her place in the T20 side having played her last T20I in September 2016. Nicole also bowls off breaks that can be handy at crucial stages of the game.

Nicola Carey

Source: ESPN cricinfo

The 25 year old all-rounder from New South Wales has played just a single T20I early this year. Though she has a dearth of experience, there is no doubt that she has the ability to perform at the highest level. Carey is a left hand bat and a right arm medium pace bowler.

Ashleigh Gardner

Source: Women's CricZone

At just 21 years of age, the dashing all-rounder has had a wonderful ODI series against Pakistan facilitating a 3-0 clean sweep for her side. The aggressive middle order bat can tear apart any bowling attack into pieces. A lot will depend on Gardner if Australia has to capitalize in the middle overs. Her right arm off breaks are more than handy and provides the captain with an extra bowling option. 

Alyssa Healy (WK)

Source: Cricbuzz

Australians are blessed to have Alyssa Healy guarding the stumps. The 28 year old has one of the safest pair of hands when it comes to wicket-keeping across the cricket playing nations. In addition to her excellent wicket-keeping skills, Alyssa is a dominating batswoman and has the ability to take the game away from opposition.

Jess Jonassen

Source: Cricbuzz

The slow left arm bowling of Jonassen wrecks havoc in the opposition batting line-up. Her discipline with the line and length is phenomenal and the Queenslander yield rich dividends for the same. She is one of the veterans of the game, having featured in 58 T20Is. Skipper Lanning will depend a lot on the 25 year old to give them the crucial breakthroughs.

Delissa Kimmince

Source: Women’s CricZone

The right arm medium pacer has had a decent beginning to her T20I career having picked up 23 wickets in 19 innings. Alongside senior players like Megan Schutt and Elysse Perry, Kimmince will be expected to hold the bowling attack together.

Sophie Molineux

Source: Cricket Forest

The 20 year old has so far played 8 T20I and has scalped 11 wickets with her slow left arm orthodox. It is a great opportunity for Sophie to grow under the shadow of her senior teammate Jess Jonassen and enhance her bowling repertoire.

Beth Mooney

Source: Women’s CricZone

The powerful left hand bat has already a T20I century to her name having featured in 25 matches. The 24 year old is a sweet timer of the cricket ball. Mooney can also keep wickets if required, thus giving captain Lanning an additional wicket-keeping option.

Ellyse Perry

Source: Women’s CricZone

The classic all-rounder will be expected to fire on all cylinders if the Australians haveto make it big in this year’s Women’s World T20. Perry’s exploits with both, bat and ball are incredible. She is just shy of 5T20I from completing a century of appearances in international T20 cricket. With 90 wickets and 851 runs in her kitty, the 27 year old is a player to watch out for.

Megan Schutt

Source: Women’s CricZone

The epitome of accuracy, Megan Schutt is one of the finest medium pace bowlers in the world. In her 40 international appearances, Schutt has accounted for 45 wickets. An economy under 6 and an average of 16.77 makes the 25 year old a threatening bowler for the opposition.

Elyse Villani

Source: Cricket Australia

With 12 half centuries to her name, Elyse Villani is a powerful right hand bat coming in the middle order. She has an experience of playing in 55T20Is, and will look to make the most of the opportunity that she gets in the Women;s World T20. The 29 year old is a delight to watch when she gets going.

Tayla Vlaeminck

Source: Suvantech

The 20 year old is yet to make her debut in her T20I career. A right hand bat and a right arm medium pacer, might get a go if everything goes well in the group stage for Australia.

Georgia Wareham

Source: Cricket Australia

The 19 year old from Victoria has featured in 6T20Is so far and has grabbed as many wickets. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry, will definitely help the right arm medium pacer to go a long way.

India A Women brown washed Australia A 3-0 in T20 series

One of the quintessential rules of life is “What goes up comes down and what comes down has to go up”. The recently concluded tour of Australia A Women to India is the perfect example of this. The two sides locked horns against each other in a three-match one day series and a three- match T20 series that was played at MCA Ground, BKC, Mumbai. In a matter of 10 days, the headline has changed from Australia A whitewashed India A in one day series to India A brown washed Australia A in T20 series.

After facing embarrassing defeat in the one-day series, it was decided that the Indian Women’s team selected to play for the ICC Women’s World T20 will face the Australia A in the T20 series. One of the major reasons for this was that the Women in Blue would get the crucial match practice prior to the ICC event. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India A took on Australia A in the first T20 on October 22. Chasing a formidable score of 160 put on by the Aussies, India’s opening bat Smriti Mandhana struck a match winning 72 and was ably assisted by the skipper who chipped in with a strokeful 45 to see their side home. India A won the first T20 by four wickets with one over to spare.

Taking a wealth of confidence from their first outing, India A simply bludgeoned the visitors in the second fixture, when they posted a mammoth 184-5 in 20 overs, courtesy the batting brilliance of former India T20 skipper Mithali Raj (105 not out off 61 balls). The present day skipper also joined hands with Raj and made a quickfire 57 (32). The Aussies were bundled out for 156, losing the game by 28 runs. Indian spinning attack consisting of Anuja Patil, Poonam Yadav, and Deepti Sharma made merry as each of them scalped couple of wickets apiece.

Australia A was 2-0 up in one day series and India A was 2-0 up in the T20 before the last game of both the series was played. In the last T20, batting first the home team put up a respectable total of 154-8 in 20 overs. After losing their openers cheaply, young Jemimah Rodrigues consolidated the innings striking 38 (29). Captain Kaur, who had a fantastic T20 series so far, showed the world why she is one of the best T20 players, as she went on to score a useful 41 (27). The target was a tricky one for the visitors. Georgia Redmayne (19), Naomi Stalenberg (26), and Heather Graham (20) got off to good starts but failed to capitalize. On the other hand, India’s spin queen Poonam Yadav spun the web to grab 3-23 in her four overs.

In a matter of 10 days, the pendulum of success quietly moved from Australia A to India A. the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will definitely take a leaf out of this T20 series when they set their foot on the Caribbean land in the next month.  

Source: Twitter/Asian Cricket Council

India A Women beat Australia A by 28 runs in the second T20

The bruises and wounds of the one-day series debacle were fresh when India A  took on Australia A in the two match Women's T20 tournament on October 24 at MCA Ground, BKC, Mumbai. With the ICC Women's World T20 just a stone's throw away, the Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur decided to have a good practice before the big event. The touring Australia A faced the Indian Women's team selected to play the T20 World Cup.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Women in Blue posted a formidable total of 184-5 on board in their full quota of 20 overs. opening the innings, India's senior most player Mithali Raj was at her very best as she struck a delightful century. Her unbeaten innings of 105 off 61 balls was peppered with 18 boundaries and a six. Striking at a humungous strike rate of 172.13, Mithali smashed the Aussie bowlers all around the park. Wickets were falling at the other end, but when Harmanpreet Kaur came to the crease, the momentum again shifted in India's favour. Kaur hammered 57 off 32 complimenting the former skipper and taking her side to a respectable score. The Aussie bowlers were surprised to see the comeback from the new look hosts. Tahlia McGrath was the highest wicket taker with 2-36 in her three overs.

McGrath did wonders with the bat as well as she struck a blistering 47 off 29 right at the top of the order. However, after the fall of her wicket the visitors crumbled and fell short of 28 runs. The Indian spinners; Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma, and Anuja Patil bowled well in tandem and accounted for two wickets apiece.

The Indians did exceedingly well in all departments and deserved to win the first T20 after a horrific show in the 50-over format. This win will give a lot of confidence to Harmanpreet and co. and the girls will hope to take their positive form into the World Cup as well.

The second and the last T20 between the two sides will be played on October 26 at the same venue.


Brief Score: India A 184-5 in 20 overs (M Raj 105 n.o., H Kaur 57; T McGrath 2-36) beat Australia A 156-9 in 20 overs (T McGrath 47; P Yadav 2-29, A Patil 2-31) by 28 runs


Source: DNA India

Australia A Women white wash India A 3-0

What was expected to be an evenly poised three-match one-day series between Australia A Women and India A Women turned out to be a rather lopsided affair with the Aussies completing a clean sweep againt the Women in Blue. The three matches that were played at MCA ground at BKC in Mumbai between October 15 and October 19 ended in favour of the visitors.

The Aussies won all three matches convincingly and once again proved why they are invincible not only on their own soil but also on the foreign land. India was thrashed by 91 runs in the first one-day, thanks to the batting brilliance of Tahlia McGrath (58), Heather Graham (48), and Naomi Stalenberg (47). The Molly Strano-led team piled up 271 runs in 50 overs. Preet Bose was the pick of the bowlers for India striking 3-42 in her 10 overs. The Indians put up a dismal show with the bat as they were bowled out for a paltry 180 in 46.2 overs. Preeti shined with the bat too as she top scored with an unbeaten 62. Skipper Strano picked up 3-23 in her 8 restricting the hosts to a modest score.

In the second one-day, the hosts got off to a steady start with the captain Punam Raut scoring 64. Coming in at no. 5, Mona Meshram struck 59 to give some respite to the middle order downfall. The Indians managed to put up 197-7 in 50 overs. However the target was not enough as the Aussies finished off the game in just 40.3 overs, winning by four wickets. Heather Graham top scored with an unbeaten 68. Just like in the previous game, skipper Strano picked up 3-23 in her 9 overs, whereas for India, Shikha Pandey accounted for 3-38 in her 10 overs.

India A was playing for pride in the third one-day, but the visitors were in no mood to let loose as they clinched the series 3-0, winning the third game by five wickets. Batting first, India A posted a formidable total of 254-8 in 50 overs, thanks to the valiant batting of skipper Raut who was unfortunately run out on 98. Mona chipped in with a solid 57 to help her side reach a competitive score. Amanda Jade Wellington was the pick of the bowlers accounting for 3-59 in her 10 overs. The Aussies started off the chase in style as their opening bat Georgia Redmayne top scored with 98. Tahlia McGrath (62) and Josphine Dooley (67) ensured that their side was home. Tanushree Sarkar was the highest wicket taker for India with 2-30 in her 7 overs.

Apart from this series being a tool to test the bench strength of India, it was more of an eye opener for the Indian Women's Cricket. Being at the receiving end of a white wash can be demotivating, but to see light at the end of the tunnel will help the women to rise from the ashes.


Source: AP

Women in Blue rank 5th in ICC T20I rankings

With the Women's World T20 just a stone's throw away, the ICC has announced the T20I rankings. The Australian team is right at the top of the table with 280 points, followed by their neighbours New Zealand at the second place with 277 points. The English side is just a point away at the third place with 276 points. The defending T20 champions and the host for the ICC Women's World T20 2018; West Indies are sitting at the fourth place with 259 points. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Women in Blue are 10 points behind the Caribbeans at no. 5 with 249 points.

The next five teams in order of their ranking are South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Ireland. It will be interesting to see how these 10 teams fare in the upcoming T20 World Cup starting November 9 and have an impact on their rankings.



Source: BCCI