Grace Harris’s inclusion in Australia’s ODI World Cup squad for India and Sri Lanka 2025 has been described as both a “cheeky surprise” and an “X-factor” gamble by selectors, as the 31-year-old Queenslander prepares for a rare return to the 50-over format.
Despite not playing an ODI in over 18 months and featuring in just 11 of a possible 96 one-day internationals since her debut in 2016, Harris has forced her way back through explosive T20 performances. The ODI World Cup, running from 30 September to 2 November, presents her with an unexpected opportunity to make a mark in conditions she knows well.
The Surprising Recall of Grace Harris
“I must admit, the World Cup’s a cheeky surprise selection,” Harris told cricket.com.au, reflecting the sheer unexpectedness of her name being read out on Friday.
“At the start of the year, I thought I wouldn’t make the ODI World Cup team because recently I haven’t exactly been picked in Australia one-day teams or anything like that.”
For a player who had already shifted her focus towards building form ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in England, this sudden ODI call-up is nothing short of a reinvention. Harris had even signed up for a county stint with Surrey, pairing it with her contract for London Spirit, specifically to acclimatise to English conditions after disappointing past campaigns there. The result was a breakout English season: 338 runs at a strike rate of 156 in the T20 Blast and another 214 runs at 35.66 in The Hundred. That momentum, combined with her experience in India, restated her case to selectors.
Selectors See an X Factor in Grace Harris
National selector Shawn Flegler, speaking in Brisbane, was amused at Harris’s bemusement. “Grace is always surprised when she gets picked, which is nice, but she’s a different player for us,” he said. He elaborated on the thought process: “And the role that she might play in ODI cricket, I think it’d be more down the bottom-middle order. I think the way she bats, the experience she’s got in India, that’s why she got selected. She could take the game away in a few overs.
Australia’s batting order already looks settled, with Alyssa Healy, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, and Tahlia McGrath forming a formidable top seven. Harris herself acknowledged as much: “If I’m going through the names, sometimes I think, ‘Well, who’s being kicked out for me?’ Our team is and has been dominant for the past two years.”
Grace Harris – The Finisher
What Harris does bring is a fearless finishing ability, honed in the T20 circuit. A power-hitter capable of clearing boundaries at will, she can inject late-order acceleration, a skill Australia may need in subcontinental conditions where slow pitches can make stroke-play challenging. “It’ll be great personal development for me training over there, and then I guess if I’m fortunate enough to get an opportunity, of course, I want to take it with both hands and run with it,” she said, recalling her experience of touring New Zealand in 2022 for the World Cup but not getting game time.
This time, her aim is simple, impact, if and when the chance arises. “It would be good to play a game in the one-day World Cup, I went to New Zealand (in 2022) and didn’t play a game,” Harris added.
The Road Ahead for Grace Harris
Australia, under captain Alyssa Healy, departs for India next week for a bilateral ODI series against hosts India from 14–20 September, a timely tune-up before the World Cup begins. Their campaign kicks off against New Zealand on 1 October at Holkar Stadium, Indore, in an afternoon clash at 3 PM IST.
For a player who thought she’d be on the outside looking in, Harris now finds herself in the middle of Australia’s title quest. Whether she plays every match or comes in as a strategic weapon, her presence reminds us that World Cups often hinge not just on superstars, but also on those who can shift momentum in a handful of overs. And in Grace Harris, Australia may have just that card to play.
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)
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