No Jess Jonassen as Australia name T20 World Cup squad

Cricket Australia (CA), on Monday (August 26), announced the squad ahead of the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup 2024 which is set to be held in the UAE. The current and the three-time T20 World Cup champions will face New Zealand in a three-match T20I series in Mackay and Brisbane before travelling to the UAE to defend the crown.

Seam bowler Darcie Brown, who has recently recovered from her foot injury, has made a comeback to the 15-member squad. She suffered the same in the tour of Bangladesh back in March 2024, which led to her pulling out of the series. Fellow pacer Tayla Vlaeminck will join her as well. 

Cricket Australia’s Head of Performance (Women’s Cricket) and National Selector, Shawn Flegler said, "The pace duo of Tayla Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown is one we’ve been wanting to unleash for a while and is a real point of difference for us."

Experienced left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen has been left out of the squad despite her good form in franchise cricket. She will miss a T20 World Cup for the first time since 2012. “Jess Jonassen is again unlucky to miss out, but we’ve been impressed with the way she’s bounced back, and we’ll continue to monitor her form ahead of the home summer," Flegler quoted.

Sophie Molineux and Grace Harris have also recovered from their injurues and are available to play again. The former missed out on The Hundred having suffered an acute rib fracture after getting hit by a ball while batting in the off-season. Meanwhile, Harris had picked a calf injury.

All-rounder Heather Graham will be available for the series against New Zealand, but won't travel to the UAE for the T20 World Cup. 

This will be Australia's first major tournament since former skipper Meg Lanning announced her retirement back in November 2023. She had led her side to three consecutive T20 World Cup titles. Alyssa Healy will lead the side this time with Tahlia McGrath being the vice-captain. The wicket-keeper was announced as the new captain after the retirement of the Australian legend. 

"It’s the first time Alyssa Healy will have the reins at a World Cup and we’ve already seen what her and Tahlia McGrath bring from a leadership perspective, so it’s exciting for them to have this opportunity to lead their country on the biggest stage," Flegler said. 

Australia squad for Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck