Australia Women raring to build on T20 success
Australia Women’s prowess is Twenty20 cricket is in little doubt. They are three-time champions of the ICC Women’s World T20, and in the Women’s Big Bash League they have the strongest domestic T20 competition for women.
Five Australian players will feature in the one-off Women’s T20 Challenge exhibition match ahead of the IPL Qualifier 1 in Mumbai – the most among foreign players. These are Megan Schutt, the No.1 bowler on the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I rankings, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.
Yet, with another ICC Women’s World T20 around the corner, this time the 2018 edition in the Caribbean in November, there is a sense that Australia have unfinished business in the format.
It was an honour to captain the @SouthernStars to our 1st ever T20 World Cup victory on this day 8 years ago! What a moment! I’ll never forget that last ball @EllysePerry. Hopefully later this year the team can grab another World Cup win in the West Indies #cricket #worldT20 https://t.co/TsqizA7ehZ
— Alex Blackwell (@AlexBlackwell2) May 16, 2018
In 2016 in India, they slipped up in their defence of their title, falling to Windies Women in the final in Kolkata. Since then, their record in the 20-over game has been patchy. They slipped to series defeats against New Zealand and England at home. They were winners in the women’s T20 tri-series in Mumbai in March-April, but not before they lost, again, to England in the group stage.
Also of some concern is that they are scheduled to play only three more T20 Internationals before the big event in November, again against New Zealand, in September. Individual players might be match ready because of domestic T20 leagues, but as a team they have quite a break.
Meanwhile, their leading challengers have competitive cricket lined up as part of their preparation. England, New Zealand and South Africa have another tri-series coming up, even as India turn out in the Asia Cup.
Highlights from Aus Women Innings v WI Women, ICC WWT20 Final
Watch Australia Innings Highlights against West Indies in this Match 23 video from the ICC Womens World Twenty20 India 2016.
Australia, though, insist they aren’t taking their foot off the pedal. “We had success in India with the T20 tri-series, and that was a pretty big success for us … but that’s a one-off at the moment,” said Shelley Nitschke, the team’s newly appointed assistant coach, who was part of the ICC Women's World T20 2010 winning side.
“We hope to build on that and make a mark on world cricket in the T20 space in particular in the next 12 months.”
According to the former all-rounder, who gave up cricket in 2011 when at her peak, the team’s challenge was to play with freedom.
“All the skills are there. They talked about having a bit of belief and their style of playing, committing to that. And if they can continue to do that, have some clear plans and when the heat is on to stick to those plans, that will be key to them moving forward,” she said. “They were able to do that in India so hopefully we can continue that.”
