Perry confident ahead of Victoria debut and T20 World Cup

Ellyse Perry, ICC Cricketer of the Year and number one ranked allrounder in the world is all set to make her Victoria debut when she will take the field, in the coming week ahead of the round two of Women's National Cricket League Matches. Perry will make her return after suffering a shoulder injury in the Women's Big Bash League.

"It feels like the first day of school again," Perry said of reuniting with her new teammates ahead of Victoria’s Women’s National Cricket League clash against Western Australia in Melbourne on Tuesday (January 7).

The allrounder is eager to get things started ahead of what is a big summer of cricket lined up for Australia which also includes a T20 World Cup.

The top-ranked Australians, who will be looking to defend the trophy they won in the West Indies just over a year ago, not only have to contend with the added pressure of tournament hosts, but also cricket’s grand vision to fill the MCG for the final of the event on International Women’s Day on March 8. 

"I can’t think of a more hyped-up event in terms of women’s cricket that I’ve seen in the last decade or so," Perry said.

Katy Perry, the pop superstar has already been roped for the final, which is aiming to set the world record in terms of attendance in numbers in the Melbourne Cricket Stadium.

Perry sounded optimistic ahead of her team's chances in the mega event. The allrounder believes Australia can go all the way and can shoulder the added responsibility of playing at home. Australia have had a stellar run of form in the past 16 months which saw them lose just two matches out of 21 T20I matches.

"We’ve been successful and played some really great cricket, especially in the last 24 months or so, so this is the next challenge for us,” she said.

"Given the quality of opposition, it’s going to be a great spectacle (and) it’s also going to make it really difficult for us to be successful, but I think that’s absolutely everything you want in a World Cup."

Australia's T20 squad will be be announced this month. Australia then will play a tri-series involving India and England, in what will likely be a dress rehearsal ahead of the ICC tournament which begins in Sydney on February 21.