Australia ready for favourites pressure in title defence
Media release
Australia captain Alyssa Healy feels motivated by the target on her team’s back as they seek to kick off their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup defence with a bang against Sri Lanka.
The Australians are the most successful side in the competition’s history, having taken home six of the eight editions since its inception in 2009.
They travel to Abu Dhabi as the reigning champions after pipping home favourites South Africa to the crown in last year’s final, securing their third consecutive title in the process.
And as they prepare to kickstart their campaign against Sri Lanka, skipper Healy says the camp is not fazed by their status as the team to beat.
“It can be quite daunting at times, because teams do come really, really hard at us,” Healy says.
“We feel that target on our back at times. But the pleasing thing is that it actually motivates this group to get better and, not necessarily stay ahead of the pack, that’s not really the right way to say it, but just to continue to evolve and get better and to keep wanting to win titles and keep teams away.
“It’s a real positive for our group in that regard, they don’t see it as a real concern. It’s actually a driver, and I think that’s a really pleasing place to be.”
A lot of buzz surrounded Sri Lanka going into the tournament, with fans pegging them as a team to watch off the back of an exceptional year.
However, their World Cup campaign did not get off to the start they were hoping for, succumbing to an opening day defeat at the hands of Pakistan.
Captain Chamari Athapaththu is refusing to let heads drop in the Sri Lanka camp, insisting that even against the formidable Aussies, they can bounce back with a vengeance.
“I know we lost the first game, but we can bounce back because we’ve done these things in the past and we are always resilient,” she said.
“I hope my girls bounce back for the next game and we take one game at a time. I know Australia is one of the best teams in this competition, but if we can play our best cricket, I know we can beat any team.
“We still have confidence, still we have belief. I trust my girls and I know they are in a good mindset.
“We lost yesterday, but it does not mean we can't beat any other teams. Now we know if we have do or die games, we have to do or die, that's it.”