Australia received a reminder of the difficulty in defending their T20 World Cup title. They suffered an unexpected defeat against Ireland in their final warm-up match in South Africa. Despite being an unofficial match, the Australians were eager to test their skills and retired key batters for practice. However, the team, not used to losing, was undoubtedly irritated when they were defeated by the Irish.
Meg Lanning who leads the mighty Australian cricket team faced defeat at the hands of Ireland, losing by a mere 3 wickets. Ireland valiantly chased down Australia’s score of 168 points, reaching the target of 169 with only two balls remaining. Arlene Kelly, a New Zealand native, emerged as the hero for Ireland as she played a crucial role in securing their victory in the final over. However, it should also be noted that Australia was not playing their key players in this match.
Australia will start their World Cup campaign vs New Zealand
As the world’s top-ranked team in the format, Australia has won five of the seven Women’s Twenty20 World Cups. They will kick off their tournament journey against New Zealand in Paarl, South Africa on Saturday.
Despite losing today, the current world champions are not worried yet. Their skilled team, consisting of athletes who have won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, has the ability to win even in difficult situations.
Despite the absence of their most experienced players, the Australian women’s team remains a formidable force. Their ability to continuously improve their game has established a legacy that seems never-ending. As the WPL auction approaches, evidently the Australian women’s team will receive a large number of bids.
This is what the Australian squad looks like:
Meg Lanning (c), Alyssa Healy (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham.
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