Key Players: Australia

Star of the show

**Name:**Meg Lanning
**Role:**Batter
T20Is: 79
Batting stats: Runs – 2200; Average – 34.37; Strike rate – 118.21; 50s – 12; 100s – 1; Best – 126

The middle-order lynch pin is an attacking batter and has scored two half-centuries in her last five T20I innings, indicating that she has form on her side. Under her leadership, Australia swept New Zealand and Pakistan 3-0 in their most-recent T20I series.

Earlier this year, she played a blinding innings of 88 off just 45 balls against England, a knock that included 16 fours and a six, to help Australia post their highest team total in women's T20I history – 209/4.

With the ability to clear the fence at will and a penchant for aggressive batting and dominating the opposition, Lanning will be a big threat to any bowling line-up.

One to watch

**Name:**Ashleigh Gardner
**Role:**All-rounder
**T20Is:**16
**Batting stats:**Runs – 216; Average – 18.00; Strike rate – 139.35; 50s – 1; Best: 63*
**Bowling stats:**Wickets – 11; Average – 24.09; Economy rate – 7.36; Best – 2/20

The 21-year-old all-rounder made her T20I debut in February 2017 against New Zealand and since then has featured regularly in the Australian line-up in the shortest format of the game.

Recently against Pakistan in the first T20I of a five-match series, Gardner scored a 37-ball 63, her highest T20I score, to help Australia post 195. The knock included nine fours and one six.

And while returns of 11 wickets from 16 games might not look extraordinary, her off-breaks can come in handy in the West Indies where pitches can be slow with uneven bounce.

Most importantly, her career strike rate is 139.35, and Gardner possesses the ability to take the game by the scruff of the neck and tilt it in Australia's favour.