The star Australian cricketer Jess Jonassen tipped the Indian team as favourites for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, September 27. Jonassen surprisingly picked India ahead of the six-time T20 World Cup champions Australia for the ninth edition of the tournament in UAE starting on October 3.
The defending champions Australia will enter the tournament as clear favourites but Jonassen pointed out their lack of experience playing in the United Arab Emirates. The veteran all-rounder said that Australia are well adapted to playing in big tournaments but India have better knowledge of playing conditions in the UAE.
"India are well and truly the front-runner because of the depth and versatility that they have," Jonassen said. "They have better knowledge of UAE conditions. We have never played there, but Australia know how to play in big tournaments and can't be underestimated.
"We have played in different sub-continent pitches and conditions, but have little knowledge about UAE conditions, so it will be challenging. We've been under another illusion that the pool that we are in is not one of the toughest. But I don't think there's going to be a single easy game."
Australia famously thrashed India by 85 runs in the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup and boast an impressive head-to-head record across formats against Harmanpreet Kaur's team. Apart from India, the former champions England are top contenders to mount a title challenge in the UAE.
Jonassen picked the Three Lions and the highly motivated Sri Lanka as top contenders to challenge India and Australia for the title. Sri Lanka recently outplayed the Women in Blue to clinch the Women's Asia Cup title but faces a tough task for the maiden World Cup title.
"England is obviously always up there and definitely the third team. They're currently over there (UAE) for a pre-season camp and they always take camps to Oman and from my understanding, the conditions are quite similar in the UAE. They have a really experienced side as well and some of the best players in the world are part of their side in Sophie Ecclestone and Nat Sciver-Brunt," she said. Fourth I'm going with Sri Lanka. They are the most recent Asia Cup champions, they've won some series and games against some top sides," Jonassen added further.
