Australia to enter Commonwealth Games with same WC winning squad

Australia have decided to go on with the World Cup-winning squad for the Women’s T20 event which will be taking for the first time in the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games. Meg Lanning will be leading the unchanged squad that lifted the 50-over World Cup earlier this year in New Zealand while defeating England by a massive margin of 71 runs.

However, the Australian squad would be missing the services of head coach Matthew Mott, who has accepted the offer from ECB to be their men’s white-ball coach. In this case, Shelley Nitschke will be looking over the duties as interim women’s head coach. Star batter Ellyse Perry who is dealing with a back injury is expected to move into the tournament as a pure batter.

“Her availability to bowl will be dependent on her progress in the coming weeks and on the medical advice,” team physiotherapist Kate Beerworth said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Other injured players who have been sidelined from the mega event include Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, and Tayla Vlaeminck. Australia will kick off its journey with some training sessions at the National Cricket Centre next month. After that, the squad will feature in a tri-series involving Ireland and Pakistan to gear up for the Commonwealth Games.

We’ve all grown up watching the Commonwealth Games on TV: Australia skipper Meg Lanning

“To be there with athletes from badminton, squash, lawn bowls and a host of other sports is going to be a wonderful new experience for our players to embrace. We’ve all grown up watching the Commonwealth Games on TV, seeing Australian athletes inspire the rest of the country, and we’re hoping to do the same,” said Australia skipper Meg Lanning.

Australia Squad for Commonwealth Games: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington