The National Selection Panel has announced the 15 players who will represent Australia at the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Before the World Cup, the team will play three One-Day Internationals against India from September 14-20 in New Chandigarh and New Delhi. Their first World Cup match is against New Zealand in Indore on October 1.
Nicole Faltum and Charli Knott will join the team for the ODI series before heading back to start the Women’s National Cricket League. Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth will play their first 50-over World Cup. Grace Harris was on the 2022 winning team and may get her first ODI World Cup game during the tournament. Molineux is back after a knee injury kept her out in December. She may miss the ODIs against India but should be ready for the World Cup.
Here’s the Australia squad for the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup:
Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
National Selector Shawn Flegler said, “A World Cup in India is a big ask but we think this group is ready.”
“This group has learned a lot from recent tours in the sub-continent and the Women’s Premier League. They will be able to handle the conditions in India.
“Throughout the winter we saw some great performances from the whole group in the Australia A series, The Hundred and domestic cricket in England. The players prepared in their own ways and it seems to have worked. Nicole Faltum and Charli Knott have been impressive and will be with the team for the three ODIs to help them develop.
Then they’ll head back home for the start of the WNCL. An ODI World Cup is long and tough but we think this group has what it takes.”Australia will play each of the other seven teams in a round robin. Top four teams will play semi finals on October 29 and 30 and the Final on November 2.
Key Points from Australia’s CWC25 Squad
Proven Team
The 15-player squad was always going to be a given this year. With players like Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt in the team, it’s no surprise. Ten of these players were in New Zealand in 2022 when Australia won their seventh World Cup and they all want to win another.
So Much Talent
The Australian side is very strong, and selectors will have a hard time selecting an XI-fourteen players for each game. Young Georgia Voll may not get a top-level batting spot simply because of the depth in the team’s batting lineup. So the pitch conditions will decide on how many spin players Australia will pick for the games. They head coach Shelley Nitschke will have a plan for every situation, so the team will be ready.
Healy Is Key
With Alyssa Healy doing well at the top of the batting order in the last World Cup, Australia is on target to win a record eighth World Cup title. Healy in the last World Cup in New Zealand in 2022 scored 509 runs, including 170 in the final against England. She has gone through injury in recent times but did enough in a couple of recent games for Australia A to show that she can genuinely be a game-changer at this tournament.
The return of Molineux is good
You need good spin options in the subcontinent, and Sophie Molineux is one of them when healthy. But the team would never risk her if she isn’t ready; she will be played only if ready. But with a recovery from her knee injury, we should expect big things from her.
