Sophie Molineux says her delayed return from knee surgery has forced a change in her thinking and preparation ahead of the Women’s World Cup, but the spinner is confident her nine-month lay-off will not stop her from making an immediate impact.
Molineux was on Friday named in Australia’s 15-player squad for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka, but her selection came with the caveat that she is unlikely to feature in the preceding three-game ODI series against India.
That means the 27-year-old’s only hit out ahead of a potential return in Australia’s tournament opener, against New Zealand on October 1, will be in their sole warm-up game against England on September 28.
Molineux’s last match was an ODI in December against India.
Speaking to cricket.com.au in Brisbane this week, Molineux explained her recovery from the knee surgery she underwent in January – the same side she ruptured her ACL on in late 2022 – had been more complex than initially hoped.
“It’s probably a little bit complicated, the knee at the moment, just coming off the back of an ACL and then having to have another surgery on top of that,” Molineux said.
“We were aiming to play some games before that World Cup, but the way it’s panned out is I’ll probably get into it at the World Cup …. no (better) way to rip a Band-Aid off than that.”
Molineux split her time between her home in Melbourne and the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane through the winter, working closely with Australia head coach Shelley Nitschke.
The carrot through those months was the opportunity to play in an ODI World Cup for the first time, having missed the 2022 tournament in New Zealand due to a stress fracture in her right foot.
While she missed out on a stint at The Hundred or matches for Australia A like the remainder of her teammates, the Victorian is confident her preparation will stand up when she does get her opportunity at the ICC tournament.
“I think knowing about two months ago that this was going to be the case, I spent a bit of time wrapping my head around it and probably tapping into different parts of my game, especially, in preparation,” Molineux said.
“Traditionally, I’d bowl and bowl and bowl, and feel really confident and comfortable through bowling a heap of overs each week and playing games at cricket, (but) it’s not the case now.
“So I think I’ve been able to tap into some different things to prepare for a World Cup and to perform, hopefully, straight away.
“I’ve (also) changed a couple of little things with my action, not too dramatic, but I’ve spent a lot of time up here in Brisbane, working with Shell Nitschke.
“The cherry of a World Cup is definitely something big, I’ve never been to a one-day World Cup, so the sound of that was always chiming in the back of my head throughout the winter.
“But I think it’s (also) just about getting back and feeling good out on the cricket field again, no matter what colours I’m in.”
Speaking to media in Brisbane on Friday, national selector Shawn Flegler backed Molineux to make an immediate impact on her return.
A series of significant shoulder, foot and knee injuries have hampered Molineux’s opportunities at the international level. Since her debut in 2018, she has only played 13 of a possible 59 ODIs.
But when she has been fit and available, she has left a big impression, taking 23 wickets at 14.39 with an economy rate of 3.29 across those appearances.
The left-arm orthodox spinner is one of four frontline spin options in the Australian squad. Off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner is a lock in the XI as a key allrounder, while leg-spinner Alana King has cemented her spot since debuting in 2022.
That means, unless Australia play all four spinners, Molineux will likely be vying with leggie Georgia Wareham for a spot in the XI.
“When she’s been 100 per cent fit and available, she’s been in our best XI absolutely,” Flegler said.
“Ash Gardner has been our number one spin bowler for a few years now, Alana has come in and done really well in ODI cricket, and George has been brilliant when she’s had an opportunity.
“We’re blessed with what we’ve got … there might be conditions that favour orthodox spinners or the leg-spinners – if the ball is wet, orthodox spinners can generally grip the ball a little bit better as well – but at her best, I think she’s in her best XI, and we’ll assess that when each game comes up.”
Qantas ODI tour of India 2025
September 14: First ODI, Mullanpur Cricket Stadium, 6pm AEST
September 17: Second ODI, Mullanpur Cricket Stadium, 6pm AEST
September 20: Third ODI, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 6pm AEST
India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Sneh Rana
Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Charli Knott, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
2025 Women’s ODI World Cup
Australia squad: 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 Voll, Georgia Wareham
Australia’s warm-up match
September 28: v England, Bengaluru, Bengaluru, 7:30pm AEST
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 AEDT
October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT
Finals
Semi-final 1: Guwahati or Colombo*, October 29, 8:30pm AEDT
Semi-final 2: Mumbai, October 30, 8:30pm AEDT
Final: Mumbai or Colombo*, November 2, 8:30pm AEDT
All matches to be broadcast exclusively live and free 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
