Australia will name their World Cup squad early next month with selectors keeping a close eye on several players recovering from injury
Darcie Brown has avoided a World Cup-threatening quad injury, but Tess Flintoff’s hopes of forcing her way into Australia’s squad for the ICC tournament have been dealt a blow after injuring her hamstring playing for Australia A.
Brown left the field during the final one-dayer between Australia A and India A in Brisbane on August 17, but the fast bowler’s low-grade quad complain is not expected to impact her availability for the upcoming ODI series in India, starting September 14, that will precede the World Cup beginning a fortnight later.
Flintoff meanwhile is expected to be sidelined for six weeks after injuring her hamstring while fielding in the same match.
That timeline means the 22-year-old, who earned her first Cricket Australia contract earlier this year, will likely return to the field in late September.
The selection crunch for spots in Australia’s 15-player World Cup squad meant the uncapped allrounder was already an outside chance of selection, while she may also be in a race against time for the start of Victoria’s domestic season, which begins against New South Wales on September 26.
Australia are expected to name their World Cup squad on September 5.
The pair are the latest Australians to suffer injury setbacks in the lead-up to the ICC tournament, after Georgia Wareham was ruled out of remainder of The Hundred last week due to a groin complaint.
Wareham suffered a groin strain before the Northern Superchargers’ game against Trent Rockets on August 10.
Cricket Australia said in a statement the leg-spinner would return home to continue her rehabilitation, but was expected to be available for both the upcoming ODI series against India and World Cup selection.
Wareham had played a key role for the Superchargers early in their season, named player of the match in their tournament opener when she took 2-14 and hit an unbeaten 29 from 17 balls.
Australia are also confident fellow spinner Sophie Molineux, who last played for Australia in December 2024, will be available for selection for the ICC tournament after undergoing knee surgery in January.
2025 Women’s ODI World Cup
Australia’s warm-up match
September 27: v England, Bengaluru
Australia’s group stage matches
October 1: v New Zealand, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 7.30pm AEST
October 4: v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 7.30pm AEST
October 8: v Pakistan, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8.30pm AEDT
October 12: v India, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8.30pm AEDT
October 16: v Bangladesh, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8.30pm AEDT
October 22: v England, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8.30pm AEST
October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8.30pm AEST
Finals
Semi-final 1: Guwahati or Colombo*, October 29
Semi-final 2: Mumbai, October 30
Final: Mumbai or Colombo*, November 2
All matches to be broadcast exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video. A free trial is available here.
* All games involving Pakistan to be played in Colombo, including the semi-final and final if they qualify
