Time is now: Litchfield raring for T20 World Cup to commence

By Jonathan Healy

Everyone who follows women's cricket closely knows Phoebe Litchfield is one of the most talented players around and the young Australia batter is fully aware her time has come to deliver on that promise and lead her side to the title at the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Litchfield will play a key role in Australia's push for a seventh Women's T20 World Cup success when the tournament commences in England and Wales on June 12 and the 23-year-old is ready to display those talents that many have previously seen at bilateral cricket and at the many domestic tournaments around the world.

It's rare for Australia not to hold any women's ICC trophies, but that's exactly where the all-conquering Aussies sit right at the moment and Litchfield is determined to reverse that recent trend and get her hands on her own first ICC title when the T20 World Cup gets underway next month.

Time to shine at T20 World Cup

Scoring runs is what Litchfield does best, with her now trademark switch hit one of the many talents the left-hander possesses in her ever-growing arsenal.

Litchfield's superb innings of 119 in the knockout semi-final against India at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup last year reaffirmed the left-hander's capabilities, but similar performances in T20I cricket have been harder to find in recent times. 

The fact remains that in 12 T20I innings since the last T20 World Cup in 2024, Litchfield has a top-score of just 35 and she has failed to reach double figures in three of her appearances across that span.

It's something that Litchfield is aware of and is working hard on getting right at the upcoming tournament by speaking to her more senior teammates on the best way she can contribute in the shortest format.

"I have been speaking to Moon (Beth Mooney), speaking to Midge (Alyssa Healy) and even Pez (Ellyse Perry) about how they go about it," Litchfield told ICC Digital.

"Last T20 World Cup, I was a bit further down the (batting) order, and T20I cricket is tough sometimes, especially when you're starting. 

"(I am trying to) learn a few tricks there and also just to know how to put an innings together in the T20 format. 

"It's a bit of a different art to the 50-over (ODIs), so I am trying to learn on the go and I am really excited for the challenge."

Trust from coach Shelley Nitschke

While Litchfield admitted she would prefer to open at T20I level - just like she does in 50-over cricket - she knows that No.3 is where her team needs her most for the time being given the in-form pairing at the top of Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll.

"I actually really enjoy it (batting at No.3)," Litchfield said.

"I'd love to open, but it's pretty hard to get Moon (Mooney) stepping away.

"I've done it (batted at No.3) in the Big Bash, done it for the WPL (Women's Premier League) and done it in The Hundred. 

"I should be better than what my stats say for Australia, but I love the challenge and love that Shell (Nitschke) has entrusted me with that role. 

"And I find a lot of freedom in that role because I've got the likes of Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry kind of either side of me.

"So I know that we bat so deep and it allows me the freedom to come out and play the way I want to play and take the game on, which is what we ask for as a team."

Extra pressure with Healy retired

While the Aussies do still have their fair share of veterans in their squad for the T20 World Cup, one notable absentee is former skipper Alyssa Healy following her retirement from international cricket earlier this year.

Healy has appeared at every edition of the T20 World Cup since 2010 and Litchfield knows there will be added pressure on her and her fellow top-order with the ever-present and always reliable Healy now gone.

"There's a little bit of pressure (on us), but also we've played a few games (without Healy) and I think she must have been injured in a couple of those Ashes games as well, and potentially the New Zealand series where we've played most of our T20 cricket in the past since the World Cup," Litchfield recalled.

"We will miss her, but I think we've had a few practices now without the fireworks (from Healy) up at the top of the order so we're getting used to it. 

"It is a bit weird not seeing her behind the stumps and slashing balls over cover, but our team has adapted well. 

"And the beauty of our side is we've got a really, really deep order and people can fill that gap.

"But it is tough, and especially for fans of Australian cricket, to see her go."

Making up for the disappointment of 2024

It was at the semi-final stage of the most recent T20 World Cup that the Aussies came a cropper, with South Africa proving too strong in the knockout contest in Dubai as Litchfield managed to contribute a fleeting cameo of 16* from nine deliveries in a score of 134/5 that the Proteas easily chased down.

The expectations are greater this time around from a personal perspective and from a team point of view and Litchfield knows what her team needs to do better if they want to make up for their early exit two years ago.

"I think it’s just winning the big moments," Litchfield noted.

"I feel like we do a lot right and most of the time it's 18 out of the 20 overs or in 50-over (cricket) it is the same.

"So it's probably just those moments where the games and in the balance is taking it and being a bit more ruthless and remembering why we are so good and using that in everything we do. 

"And I think the way that the T20 format is going these days, yeah, it's exciting. You just got to take the ball, take the game by the scruff of the neck and run with it.

"Every major tournament's a real priority for our group and there's a lot of excitement with a world fixture and I am really pumped."

Teams to beat at the T20 World Cup

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur recently suggested her side should be considered the favourites for the T20 World Cup and on their performance when winning a maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title on home soil last year it is hard to argue against this.

But Litchfield believes the field is wide open, pointing to New Zealand's surprise triumph in 2024 as the perfect example.

"Heading into this (T20) World Cup I don't think there's a favourite, there's (many) favourites," Litchfield said.

"The term favourite is actually quite hard to pick these days. 

"I'd love to say Australia and I will say Australia. But yeah, as a fan of women's cricket, I think you saw that New Zealand won the last one.

"So you can't really pick a favourite these days. But the term favourites, I think there's a lot of teams putting their hand up for that. 

"And it's a good thing as a cricket fan and awesome because there's going to be some great T20 cricket played in less than a month."