At 21, Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield has shown great promise as a top-order batter and is now a vital member of the national squad across formats. Since her youth days, Litchfield has been lauded as “one for the future” for her masterful stroke play and ability to skillfully play spin. She has fulfilled that promise by becoming one of the most entertaining players in world cricket and having a big influence on the international scene.
With her ability to play both pace and spin with poise, Litchfield has already amassed 895 runs in 28 matches at an average of 37.29 in the ODI format, including two hundreds, and a career-high score of 119 against India at the beginning of 2024.
She made her debut for Australia in 2022 and immediately established herself as a vital member of the team. Her impressive strike rate of 138.92 in T20Is demonstrates her versatility and aggression in the shortest format.
Litchfield has been accumulating experience in franchise leagues globally, including the marquee Women’s Premier League (WPL), in addition to her performances. In the 2024 auction, Gujarat Giants purchased her for an incredible INR 1 crore, demonstrating her rising prominence in the cricket community.
Litchfield expressed her love for cricket in India, calling her experience playing in the country “amazing.” She was amazed by the facilities and the energy of Indian supporters while she was in Vadodara for a women’s cricket competition. She expressed, “The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) stadium in Kotambi has awesome facilities and our team loved playing there.
“Playing in different cities in India has been an amazing experience. The kind of fan-following the sport enjoys here is so good to see. Sometimes, I envy the kind of adulation cricketers enjoy in India. While Indian food is a bit spicy, I loved everything about the country. Fans here love their cricketers and the energy at the stadiums during matches is unmatched.”
Her exposure to Indian conditions during her stint in the WPL would surely benefit her in upcoming international competitions, particularly since India is scheduled to host the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Phoebe got the chance to discover local landmarks and culture while she was in India. She was greeted by the Maharani of Vadodara Radhikaraje Gaekwad, who kindly showed her around the Laxmi Vilas Palace. Thinking back on the experience, Phoebe shared, “It was very sweet of her (Radhikaraje) to show us around the palace (Laxmi Vilas Palace). It’s such a grand palace!” She also went to Vadodara to visit the Gajra Café, which is run by LGBTQIA+ people, and talked about it as “an enriching experience.”
Litchfield’s numbers in all formats demonstrate how quickly she has improved as a batter. She has participated in four Test matches and scored 136 runs, including the highest of 46. Although she is still getting used to the longest format, she has shown remarkable talent in limited-overs cricket. With 414 runs at an average of 31.84 and a strike rate of 138.92, including two half-centuries, her T20I record is noteworthy.
She is a valuable addition to Australia’s batting lineup because of her aggressive yet calm style. The Australian team is going through a transitional period, and Litchfield will likely establish herself as a key member of their batting lineup going forward.
Phoebe has a varied sporting background; at the age of 14, she participated in men’s cricket and represented Australia in junior hockey. She feels that these encounters enhanced her growth, saying, “While it (playing men’s cricket) was challenging, it helped to fast-track my skills. Even playing hockey helped my cricket a lot.”
She expresses encouragement at the swift expansion of women’s cricket around the world, saying, “Be it young cricketers earning good money in franchise cricket or getting to see packed stadiums during international games, who would have thought a few years ago that this was possible? This is certainly a great time to be a woman cricketer.”
She further revealed that Ellyse Perry is one of her favourite role models, and she also looks up to Indian cricket modern day greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Phoebe is still a player to watch in world cricket as she continues to gain attention. Given her proven track record in franchise leagues and her outstanding performances for Australia, she is anticipated to be a major player in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see her rank among the tournament’s best batters given how quickly she rose to prominence and is still committed to improving her craft and helping Australia dominate women’s cricket for the time being. As a young cricket player who has done so much, this outstanding left-handed batter’s best is undoubtedly still to come.
(Quotes sourced from The Times of India)
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