Everything you need to know about the 2018 World T20
AUSTRALIA start their World T20 campaign this weekend. Here’s how they shape up against the rest of the tournament as they look to get a world trophy back in the cabinet.
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AUSTRALIA’S campaign to bring a world trophy back home for the first time since 2014 gets underway this Saturday morning against Pakistan.
Thankfully the last time they were victorious was in the T20 format and away in Bangladesh, so that the World T20 is being played in the West Indies shouldn’t trouble the Aussies too much.
Australia is world No.1 and top fancy to claim the World T20 championships in the West Indies this month, but favouritism has not sat well with the Australian women in recent tournaments.
Meg Lanning’s team desperately wants this trophy after losing the 2016 World T20 final to the West Indies and failing to make the final in last year’s one-day World Cup, won by England.
They’re full-strength and fully focused but have a couple of tough pool matches to get through before they can even think about taking out the whole tournament.
Here’s how their campaign shapes up.
THE AUSTRALIANS
Likely XI
Beth Mooney
Alyssa Healy (wk)
Ashleigh Gardner
Meg Lanning (c)
Elyse Villani
Rachael Haynes (vc)
Ellyse Perry
Delissa Kimmince
Sophie Molineux
Jess Jonassen
Megan Schutt
— — — — — — —
Nicole Bolton
Nicola Carey
Georgia Wareham
Tayla Vlaeminck
THE ODDS
$2.37 Australia
$3.50 England
$8 New Zealand
$8.50 India
$9 West Indies
PAST THREE WINNERS
2016 West Indies (Runner-up: Australia)
2014 Australia (Runner-up: England)
2012 Australia (Runner-up: England)
MORE CRICKET
HOUSEMATES: How Aussie trio forge path together
PROFESSIONAL: Rachael Haynes’ new lease on cricket
What happened last time?
AUSTRALIA was a shock loser in the final, failing to bat the West Indies out of the match when they had the chance and then watching Windies captain Stafanie Taylor and young gun Hayley Matthews blast their side to victory.
AUSTRALIAN POOL GAMES (AEDT)
(all matches, Providence Stadium, Guyana)
Saturday, November 10, 7am: v Pakistan (local, 4pm Friday, November 9)
Australia won by 52 runs
Monday, November 12, 7am: v Ireland (local, 4pm Sunday, November 11)
Australia won by 9 wickets
Wednesday, November 14, 11am: v New Zealand (local, 8pm Tuesday, November 13)
Sunday, November 18, 2am: v India (local, 11am Saturday, November 17)
Dynamic duo, these two! The captain and her vice are pumped to lead a super strong batting lineup for the Aussies!#WT20 #WATCHME pic.twitter.com/Ixeon8s9u8
— Australian Women's Cricket Team ðŸ (@SouthernStars) November 8, 2018
THE FINALS
— Top two teams from Pool A and Pool B through to semi-finals
— All finals at Sir Vivian Richards Ground, Antigua
Semi-finals: Friday, November 23, 7am and 11am AEDT (local, 4pm and 8pm, Thursday, November 22)
Final: 11am Sunday, November 25 AEDT (local, 8pm Saturday, November 24)
THE AUSTRALIAN WAY
It’s all about the power play for the Aussies.
“They go hard, they don’t care about losing wickets,” Fox Cricket’s Mel Jones told News Corp Australia.
“Usually if you lose three wickets in a power play, you’ve basically got only 25 per cent chance of winning a game, whereas the Aussies, they’re basically saying we can lose four in the power play and be 70-odd runs and we’ll win it because we’ve got the runs on the board and we’ve got the depth.”
That batting depth is crazy. The top eight could each fill the opener role at their respective WBBL club. Captain Meg Lanning won’t feature until four, the electrifying Ellyse Perry comes in at seven and Renegades opener Sophie Molineux at eight.
“It’s serious depth,” Jones said. “That’s something that none of the other teams have.”
THE DANGERS
New Zealand
In Australia’s group. Always does well in the pool games and upset the Aussies in 2016.
Fox Cricket expert Mel Jones says: “Always competitive … it will depend on how quickly teams can adjust to the pitch in Guyana as to who goes through.”
England
No Sarah Taylor here, but the reigning one-day world champions are a force. Katherine Brunt had to pull out of a practice match on Wednesday night because of back pain, an injury she's been carrying. She would be a huge loss.
Jones says: “Tammy Beaumont’s batting over the last two years has been outstanding. It’s going to be potentially Brunt’s last World Cup, and Jenny Gunn, so they’ll want to see them off on a high and have both trophies in their cabinet.”
West Indies
At home and have the power to produce fireworks.
Jones says: “You just don’t know what you’re going to get, and I hate saying that, but they’re a team full of very talented and gifted players that have been working exceptionally hard over the last 12 months, but their consistency leaves a bit to be desired. You wouldn’t want to play them in the semi-final.”
FIVE STARS TO WATCH
Smriti Mandhana (India)
India’s explosive opening batter. She played WBBL for the Heat in season two without making an impact before injuring her ACL. Went big in England’s T20 Super League this year.
Jones says: “She has seriously been dominating every attack in international cricket and T20 cricket. Spin, pace, you name it, she is one of the nicest batters to watch.”
Chloe Tryon (South Africa)
All-rounder whose left-arm medium pace will trouble plenty.
Jones says: “Give her overs at the back-end of an innings, she can completely change a game.”
Sophie Devine (New Zealand)
White Ferns opener, the all-rounder plays with Adelaide Strikers in WBBL.
Jones says: “For me, she’d be the No. 1 all-rounder. She hits a very, very long ball, uber-athletic in the field and (bowls) quick, sends it through off a good length, she really hurries players up and can swing it as well.”
Sophie Molineux (Australia)
Victorian left-arm spinner has done everything right since making her debut earlier this year. Can bat too.
Jones says: “The pitches in Guyana are low and slow; I think Soph with her left-arm orthodox will just tie people up and create all sorts of havoc. She opens for the Renegades but she’ll probably be batting eight or nine but she can have a little cameo as well.”
Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)
The West Indies skipper has proved a hit with Sydney Thunder in the WBBL and was crucial in her side’s 2016 World T20 triumph
Jones says: “Unbelievable cricket smarts. If they’re going to win this, they need her leadership to shine through. They need to stay calm in a home World Cup, which is always difficult to do.”
Originally published as Everything you need to know about the 2018 World T20
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