Jess Jonassen overlooked for Australia’s T20 Women’s World Cup squad

One of Australia’s top female cricketers won’t be going to the T20 Women’s World Cup.

National captain Alyssa Healy admits she is ‘disappointed’ about Queensland and Brisbane Heat star Jess Jonassen’s omission from Australia’s squad for October’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Jonassen remains on the T20 selection outer after being surprisingly overlooked for Australia’s white-ball series against Bangladesh in March.

Cricket Australia’s head of performance for women’s cricket and national selector Shawn Flegler said the 31-year-old left-arm spinner and lower order batter was “again unlucky” to not be picked in the 15-strong national squad for the tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

“But we’ve been impressed with the way she’s bounced back, and we’ll continue to monitor her form ahead of the home summer,” Flegler said.

Healy felt for Jonassen and was adamant the selection door was still “wide open” for her to force her way back into the team after the World Cup.

“I’m a little disappointed for ‘Jonno’ myself,” Australia’s skipper said.

“I’ve played a lot of cricket with her over the years, and I know exactly what she can contribute to this Australian team in big tournaments and how clutch she can be.

“I still see a big future for her in the Aussie side. The path’s still there, the door’s still wide open.

“If you look at her career and how it’s progressed in particular over the last five or six years, she’s been in the squad, she’s been out of the squad, (and) her and Sophie Molineux have been tit-for-tat right along the way.”

From the Aussie Golden Girls to our girls 🫶

Feeling the love as we gear up for our T20 World Cup title defence! pic.twitter.com/WDpTgV0aCp

— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) August 26, 2024

Flegler said a “stable and balanced squad” – that included ‘X-factor’ Phoebe Litchfield and pace duo Tayla Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown – had been selected.

Healy was confident there would be room for both Vlaeminck and Brown, who has recovered from a foot injury, in Australia’s best 11.

“I’d love to see it,” she said.
“We’re so blessed with ample all-rounders in our side that we can play around a little bit with our fast-bowling attack, and having those two in our side is a huge point of difference, especially in the conditions we’re potentially going to get.

“Having real pace in your side is a real advantage. Hopefully we can get them firing at the same time.”

The Australians will take on New Zealand in a three-match T20 series in Mackay and Brisbane next month before travelling to the UAE, where they hope to secure a fourth successive T20 World Cup title.

“It’s something that this group is really driven by. It’s a really exciting opportunity for us to try to win four,” Healy said.

Australia’s T20 World Cup squad: Alyssa Healy, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck.

Originally published as Jess Jonassen overlooked for Australia’s T20 Women’s World Cup squad