Publications
Partners
Sydney - Australia go into their home Twenty20 World Cup this week as overwhelming favourites as they look to cement their superiority in women's cricket and draw a world-record crowd in the process.
Meg Lanning's defending champions, and four-time winners, were rarely tested through the second half of 2019 when they whitewashed an injury-ravaged West Indies and a developing Sri Lanka team in the short format.
Giving a glimmer of hope to their rivals, they surprisingly slumped to defeat against major rivals India and England this month, before rallying to win the warm-up tri-series.
"To be put under pressure like this heading into a World Cup is extremely good preparation," Lanning insisted.
Despite the recent losses, Australia are widely expected to contest the March 8 final at the Melbourne Cricket Crowd, where organisers are hoping to draw a world-record attendance for a women's sporting fixture.
The cavernous MCG holds 100 000 fans, while the record stands at 90 185 for the 1999 Soccer World Cup final when the United States beat China on penalties in Pasadena, California.
It is hard to look past Australia - who are paid as much as the men's national team, and play domestic T20 cricket in the popular Women's Big Bash League - as one of the potential finalists.
Along with Lanning, Australia boasts wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy, all-rounder Ellyse Perry and bowling sensation Jess Jonassen, all among the world's best.
They have been dominant since the World Cup was introduced 11 years ago, winning four of the six tournaments so far and crushing England by eight wickets in the 2018 final in the West Indies.
The only other teams to lift the trophy were England on home soil in 2009 and the West Indies in 2016.
Lanning's side open the 10-team tournament on Friday in Sydney against an Indian side boosting teen batting sensation Shafali Verma.
"We play some very different teams in this World Cup who have very different styles of play, so for us it'll purely come down to what we feel the best combination is," Lanning said on how the side might line up.
"But I'm extremely confident anyone we put out on the park will do well."
Australia and India are 2-2 across their last four meetings and Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said her side had improved markedly since the last World Cup, when they lost to England in the semi-finals.
"If I look back two years, India's 50-over side was doing well and our T20 was struggling. But in the past two years, we have transformed as a T20 team and are very positive going to Australia," she wrote in a column.
"All of the teams have strengths - but so do we. Our strength is spin," she added, with the dangerous Radha Radav and Poonam Radav among their ranks.
Seasoned West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor knows what it is like to win a World Cup, having led her team to victory in 2016, when she was player of the tournament.
The 28-year-old, who recently notched up her 100th T20 cap and has played at every World Cup, believes her side can repeat the feat, particularly with fellow veteran Deandra Dottin back from injury, along with Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman.
"It's going to be a challenge, we as a team know that, but we need to make sure that we focus on ourselves and not what is going on around us," she said ahead of their opener against debutantes Thailand in Perth on Saturday.
"That will be the way for us to be successful over the next few weeks."
England, who play South Africa on Sunday, are also candidates for the knockout phase, with skipper Heather Knight warning: "From 1-15, we've got a squad that can win games of cricket."
Squads for the Twenty20 women's cricket World Cup in Australia from February 21-March 8. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage:
Group A
Australia
Meg Lanning (captain), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
India
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Tanya Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Richa Ghosh, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Arundathi Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav
New Zealand
Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Rachel Priest, Lea Tahuhu
Sri Lanka
Chamari Atapattu (captain), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Ama Kanchana, Hansima Karunaratne, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Harshitha Madavi, Dilani Manodara, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodani, Sathya Sandeepani, Anushka Sanjeewani, Shashikala Siriwardena, Umesha Thimeshani
Bangladesh
Salma Khatun (captain), Ayasha Rahman, Fahima Khatun, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Jahanara Alam, Khadiza Tul Kubra, Murshida Khatun, Nahida Akter, Nigar Sultana Joty, Panna Ghosh, Ritu Moni, Rumana Ahmed, Sanhida Islam, Shamima Sultana, Sobhana Mostary
Group B
England
Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt, Mady Villiers
Pakistan
Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah
South Africa
Dane van Niekerk (captain), Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Chloe Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt
Thailand
Sornnarin Tippoch (captain), Nattaya Boochatham, Naruemol Chaiwai, Natthakan Chantam, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosenanee Kanoh, Suwanan Khiaoto, Nannapat Khoncharoenkai Suleeporn Laomi, Soraya Lateh, Wongpaka Liengprasert, Phannita Maya, Ratanaporn Padunglerd, Thipatcha Putthawong, Chanida Sutthiruang
West Indies
Stafanie Taylor (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Lee-Ann Kirby, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman
Previous winners of the Twenty20 women's World Cup ahead of the 2020 tournament in Australia from February 21-March 8:
2018
Host nation - West Indies
Winner - Australia beat England by eight wickets
2016
Host nation - India
Winner - West Indies beat Australia by eight wickets
2014
Host nation - Bangladesh
Winner - Australia beat England by six wickets
2012
Host nation - Sri Lanka
Winner - Australia beat England by four runs
2010
Host nation - West Indies
Winner - Australia beat New Zealand by three runs
2009
Host nation - England
Winner - England beat New Zealand by six wickets
