The 6 times Women’s Cricket World Cup Winner, Australia today announced its squad for the 2022 edition of the ICC World Cup. Led by Meg Lanning, the 15-member squad saw a return of Amanda-Jade Wellington and Grace Harris who missed out in the main Ashes squad, though are a part of the ‘A’ team from the country in the ongoing Women’s Ashes. While the team misses the presence of three of its key players – bowler Georgia Wareham, all-rounder Sophie Molineux and fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck, all of them have been ruled out as injury scare mounts the Aussies.
Young Alana King got her international cap last week in the first T20I of the Ashes being considered as playing a similar role as Wareham’s in the team. A decision that came as a surprise for many as King got a spot over the experienced Wellington.
As cricket.com.au reported then, sharing the reason of choosing Alana over Amanda, Australian selector Shawn Flegler said,
“They’re slightly different bowlers. Alana is a little bit quicker through the air and attacks the stumps more, while Amanda is what you’d probably say a genuine leg-spinner, where she gives the ball a lot of air and spins the ball hard.”
However, the young talent, Hannah Darlington who is a part of the Ashes squad, is dropped from the main World Cup squad but will be traveling to the World Cup host country, New Zealand with the team as a reserve along with Australia ‘A‘s Skipper Georgia Redmayne. Further, Stella Campbell who was promoted from the ‘A’ squad as a replacement for Vlaeminck for the Ashes Test that starts tomorrow also wasn’t able to make it to the World Cup squad.
Having said that, it has been reported by cricket.com.au that, Campbell along with Elyse Villani, Molly Strano, Maitlan Brown, and Heather Graham who are currently with the team for the Ashes will remain to be with them until the squad departs for New Zealand on February 10 for any last-minute changes that might be required if any unfortunate situation arises.
This decision to keep them with the team comes after a warning was given to the players before the start of Ashes which mentioned that if a player tests positive for Coronavirus during the Ashes, she won’t be included in the World Cup squad and following a strict quarantine requirement issued by New Zealand, last-minute changes won’t be allowed.
Australia’s Squad for World Cup 2022 Announced.
Sophie Molineux has been ruled out, Alana King gets her maiden World Cup call. #CWC22 #MegLanning pic.twitter.com/HO7eXLEVzi
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 26, 2022
Commenting on this decision, Flegler said,
“Our group of stand-by players are able to replace anyone in the squad up to the day we depart Australia on 10 February and so we’ve looked at all skill sets to make sure we can cover anything that might happen between now and then,”
The squad as a whole consists of a number of youngsters who have made their names go for the World Cup as Australia tries for the 7th title after they faced a major upset in the Semi-Finals of the 2017 edition by India. Above these young talents, the experience of Lanning, Haynes, Perry, Mooney, Schutt would definitely play a major role in not only the team’s race to the title, but also as a guide and motivator for the future stars of Australian Women’s Cricket.
“We’ve been able to put together a really talented squad with some fresh faces as well as players with significant World Cup experience,” Flegler said after the squad announcement
The most successful team of women’s cricket is expected to play two warm-up matches before they begin their World Cup campaign against their oldest rivals England on March 5.
Australia’s squad for 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup
Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Traveling reserves: Hannah Darlington, Georgia Redmayne
Australia’s schedule for Group Stage of 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup
| Date | Against | Venue |
| 5-03-22 | England | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| 8-03-22 | Pakistan | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui |
| 13-03-22 | New Zealand | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| 15-03-22 | West Indies | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| 19-03-22 | India | Eden Park, Auckland |
| 22-03-22 | South Africa | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| 25-03-22 | Bangladesh | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
Author of the poetry book ‘The Scent of Rhythm’, I am a passionate writer and a Sports enthusiast who writes on Cricket and plays Badminton.