Cricket Australia has announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Tearaway speedster Darcie Brown who recently recovered from a foot injury has been named in the team whereas in-form spin-bowling allrounder Jess Jonassen has been left out.
Jonassen's snub raises many eyebrows as she was in full flow for Welsh Fire at the Women's Hundred 2024. Jonassen finished the tournament as the third-leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps to her credit.
Notably, Brown was named in Australia's squad for their white-ball tour of Bangladesh but had to pull out with a navicular stress injury in her left foot. She has fully recovered and will form a lethal fast-bowling pair alongside Tayla Vlaeminck.
The 15-member squad will also take on the White Ferns in a three-match T20I series in September at home, with the addition of Heather Graham.
On the other hand, left-arm off-spinner Sophie Molineux is on the course of recovery from an acute rib fracture which forced her to miss The Hundred.
Batting allrounder Grace Harris who also missed The Hundred with a calf injury, has regained her fitness and is raring to go.
Chief selector Shawn Flegler has termed Jonassen "unlucky" to miss out on selection despite putting her best foot forward in The Hundred for Welsh Fire.
"Jess Jonassen is again unlucky to miss out 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 was quoted as saying by Cricket.com.au.
Flegler believes that the squad announced is "stable and balanced" with "X-factor" players like Phoebe Litchfield who will be playing in her first World Cup.
"This is the first time in a long time we've had our entire contract list available for selection ahead of a World Cup and it's resulted in a really stable and balanced squad," said Flegler.
"It's the first time Alyssa will have the reins at a World Cup and we've already seen what her and Tahlia bring from a leadership perspective, so it's exciting for them to have this opportunity to lead their country on the biggest stage.
"Phoebe is a real x-factor for us and will be well supported by an experienced group at her first World Cup.
"The pace duo of Tayla and Darcie is one we've been wanting to unleash for a while and is a real point of difference for us."
Australia's T20 World Cup squad:
Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck
