Usman Khan
ISLAMABAD: The air of invincibility around Australia as they head into cricket tournaments is such that the prospect of any opponent with hopes of standing in their way might seem like an exercise in futility from the outset. The eighth edition of the Women’s Twenty-20 World Cup, which begins this week in South Africa, nears its kick-off hinged on a similar premise.
Five-time winners in the showpiece 20-over event, current holders of the ODI women’s World Cup and inaugural Commonwealth Games gold medallists, Australia saunter into the tournament the firm favourites.
Since the start of 2018, they have placed first at all main events, scripted record unbeaten streaks, and blooded fresh talents like Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, and Annabel Sutherland, who have gone on to quickly establish themselves as the future of the side and world cricket.
Australian cricket team performance
The only cricket match Australia lost in the past 14 months was a cliffhanger in Navi Mumbai, culminating in India’s first super-over victory in December of the previous year. In their assignment this year, Australia has pummelled Pakistan on home soil across limited-overs formats. They rounded off their women’s World Cup preparations with the thundering 2-0 victory in the three-match T20I leg of the contest, with a final game of the series washed out.
But almost against the run of play, the unexpected false step came just three days out from their T20 Women’s World Cup opener against New Zealand, scheduled for February 11 in Paarl. In their second and final warm-up, the women in gold and green suffered a three-wicket defeat at the hands of Ireland.
Australia vice-captain Alyssa Healy said that “we just got rolled by Ireland, so maybe they can stop that tag.” She added there was “nothing too stressful” about the result. “But, look, I am the honest belief that you do not defend a women’s world cup; everybody comes here to win it. You are not bringing the trophy in with you. We are just approaching the tournament like that.”
Group (A), alongside Commonwealth Games silver-medal winners New Zealand, hosts South Africa, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Australia has reason to rely on pragmatism and perspective rather than its pedigree alone.
Battled-hardened through botched title defences not so long ago, their pursuit of a three-peat in Twenty-20 World Cups this month might feed off the fearlessness that underpinned their resurgence since coming up short against West Indies and India in the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup and the semi-final of the 2017 One Day International World Cup, respectively.
Their tactical ferocity in the Twenty-over form that has been a staple since 2016 Twenty-20 World Cup is pronounced in their run rate, currently at an unrivalled 7.95 runs per over.
With Healy batting against Ireland, she made a 40-ball 62 in her first innings since 17 December – the make-up of Australia’s likely XI set to regain its menacing formidability.
The T20 World Cup ushers in a new era on the leadership front for the team. The tournament could be Healy’s first as full-time deputy to Meg Lanning, having stepped into the shoes of recently retired Rachael Haynes.
The refreshed Lanning, who came out of a five-month hiatus during the Pakistan cricket series, is looking to take her storied career to greater heights, as could some of the other senior pros of her vintage, including Ellyse Perry and Jess Jonassen.
