Healy banks on pace to ace the Women’s T20 World Cup test
Defending champions Australia will hunt for a record seventh title in the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Australia have announced a well-rounded squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with pace and spin options aplenty. Speedsters Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck make it to the global megaevent, making it the first time they are in the squad for a senior women’s ICC event together.
While Brown has made a name for herself in the last three years, Vlaeminck’s career started in 2018 but the pacer has been riddled by injuries in recent times.
If they play in the same XI, it will be the first time Australia has fielded the two fast bowlers together. Skipper Alyssa Healy believes their added pace could make all the difference in the UAE.
“I'd love to see it [Vlaeminck and Brown playing together]. We are so blessed with ample allrounders that I think we can play around a little bit with our fast-bowling attack,” Healy said.
“Think having those two in our side is a huge point of difference. Especially in conditions we are going to get, having real pace in your side is a real advantage.
“We'll have to wait and see what the makeups of the side are but it's really exciting for the future that those two are in the squad together, and hopefully we can get them firing at the same time.”
The squad also featured exciting young prospects with Annabel Sutherland, Brown, and Phoebe Litchfield among them.
Healy believed that the presence of senior caps, like herself, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, and Ash Gardner, in the setup would impart the necessary experience to strategise and plan for the T20 World Cup, even if the young guns would make the actual impact on the field.
“Fortunately there's still a few of us old birds, still floating around who can hopefully impart some wisdom on how to win tournaments.
“Think the youth in our group is really exciting and hopefully we can just help mentor or lead them in the right direction because think the youth in our squad is going to win this World Cup for us.”
Australia are placed in Group A of the competition along with New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.