Brown returns as Australia name Women's T20 World Cup squad

Aug 26, 2024, 10:05 IST

Melbourne, Aug 26 (IANS) Darcie Brown has recovered from a foot injury to be named in the 15-player ICC Women's T20 World Cup squad, with experienced spinner Jess Jonassen missing out as six-time champions Australia have named their squad for the mega event on Monday.

The Women's T20 World Cup 2024 has been moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) continuing to host the event.The tournament will take place across the two venues in the UAE - Dubai and Sharjah - from October 3 to October 20

Alyssa Healy will lead the side following the retirement of long-time skipper Meg Lanning last year and all-rounder Tahlia McGrath named as the vice-captain.

Brown is the only inclusion in the group that featured in Australia's last T20 series in March. She will be joined by Tayla Vlaeminck to form an exciting pace duo alongside Megan Schutt, Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry, while Molineux will bolster a strong spin department that includes Ash Gardner, Alana King and Georgia Wareham.

Vlaeminck is set to play in her first World Cup since the 2018 event in the West Indies, after she missed the 2020 and 2023 T20 tournaments and the 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand due to injury.

Grace Harris, who also missed the English 100-ball competition due to a calf injury, has also recovered to make the squad while rising batter Phoebe Litchfield.

"This is the first time in a long time we’ve had our entire contract list available for selection ahead of a World Cup and it’s resulted in a really stable and balanced squad. It’s the first time Alyssa Healy will have the reins at a World Cup and we’ve already seen what her and Tahlia McGrath bring from a leadership perspective, so it’s exciting for them to have this opportunity to lead their country on the biggest stage," said selection chief Shawn Flegler.

“Phoebe Litchfield is a real x-factor for us and will be well supported by an experienced group at her first World Cup. The pace duo of Tayla Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown is one we’ve been wanting to unleash for a while and is a real point of difference for us.

"Jess Jonassen is again unlucky to miss out, but we’ve been impressed with the way she’s bounced back, and we’ll continue to monitor her form ahead of the home summer," he added.

Australia will face New Zealand in a three-match T20I series in Mackay and Brisbane before travelling to the UAE to defend its World Cup crown.

The World Cup squad will also play the three T20Is against New Zealand next month. Heather Graham will be part of the squad for the T20I series but will not travel to the UAE for the World Cup.

Australia are drawn in Group A alongside India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

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