Invaluable experience for Molineux despite unorthodox role
Sophie Molineux’s role across the series raised eyebrows among some media and fans, but Australia had a bigger picture in mind. Molineux was appointed Australia T20I captain in January, before being ruled out midway through the multi-format series against India due to a back complaint.
Prior to the squad’s departure for the West Indies, she was cleared to run, field and bat, but time away from bowling – her primary skill – was deemed necessary for her recovery. In ordinary circumstances, this probably would have seen her sit out the Caribbean tour. But with a T20 World Cup looming and little time for the new skipper to adjust to the role, this tour fell into the “extraordinary” pile.
That need to prioritise captaincy experience is why Molineux played all three games as essentially a specialist No.8 batter. Now, her priority will be ensuring she’s back to full fitness and ready to play a significant role with the ball in the UK.
The 28-year-old only had one opportunity to bat in the series, but she issued a timely reminder of her qualify, smashing 25 off 12 to be Australia’s second highest scorer in their 7-211 in the third T20I.
“She’s been excellent,” Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said of Molineux in St Kitts on Wednesday.
“It’s been so important, I think, for the team and for her to be here and leading the group.
“We know what she can do with the ball, but unfortunately she’s unable to bowl at the moment.
“But just being able to be out there, lead the group and had a really good contribution with the bat … we all know how skilful a player she is with the bat, so it was good to see her get that opportunity and contribute the other day.
“She’s been amazing, on and off the field, just having a new leadership group has been excellent, and it’s also been just really valuable for us to be able to have them in place leading into a World Cup.”
King’s making an irresistible case
Alana King seized her recall to the Australia T20 XI with both hands, named player of the series after taking five wickets at 11, with an economy rate of 5.5, and showing her versatility by taking on a role in the Powerplay. It was always likely King would feature in a 15-player World Cup squad, and her performances here are surely enough to get her on the plane to England.
It nonetheless has created a further headache for Australia selectors, who typically have preferred a combination of leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, whose more defensive style and middle-order batting has given her the selection edge historically, alongside off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner, who is also a key part of the middle-order, and left-arm spinner – and captain – Sophie Molineux.
Unless they play all four – and there is a case for how that could work – there is an enormous call to be made on which spinner misses out on the XI at the World Cup in England. Expect conditions and match-ups to play a major role here.
“Kingy has been outstanding coming back into the T20 team, bowling in the Powerplay,” Nitschke said.
“She’s an exciting player who always has a has an impact. Georgia Wareham’s been outstanding with the ball as well.
“So we’ve certainly had some good results there with our leg-spinners so it gives us things to ponder.”
Perry found form, but work to do for the middle-order
Australia’s middle-order came into the series under the spotlight after largely failing to fire in the T20I series defeat to India at home. Ellyse Perry, who had been averaging 18.83 at a strike rate of 128.4 in T20Is since the 2024 World Cup, provided support to Beth Mooney in game one scoring 36 before displaying her class in the second T20I, blasting 42 from 28 deliveries.
Ashleigh Gardner, who typically slots in behind Perry at No.5, spoke ahead of the first game of her desire to recapture the fearlessness that was a feature of her T20 batting early in her career, however after being dismissed for one in the first game she missed the remainder of the series with a hamstring niggle.
Her absence created an opportunity for Tahlia McGrath to move up the order. Her co-vice-captain had been dropped for the series against India, but was recalled in St Vincent with Annabel Sutherland sitting out the tour. McGrath however had limited opportunity in the first two matches, scoring 14 unbeaten runs from 14 deliveries faced batting down the order, and when she did gain more time, walking to the middle in the 11th over of the series finale, was unable to capitalise, dismissed for one.
Georgia Wareham, named at No.5-6 for her powerful hitting, also had a lean run, scoring 9, 11 and one across the three games, following on from scores of 30, 0 and 12 against India.
“We feel like we’ve got the balance right (in the middle-order), I think there’s enough options there,” Nitschke said when asked if there were any concerns around the recent returns from the middle-order.
“We saw Ash (Gardner) have a really good innings (against India) in Adelaide and make an important fifty there for us, so she was unfortunate to miss out on these games here.
“I think we’ve still got enough firepower there to carry on if we get away to a good start with our top order.”
Lower down the order, Nicola Carey made a couple of useful lower-order contributions across her two matches, scoring 9no (5) and 24no (20).
Her efforts in the third game, alongside Molineux’s innings, provided the late-innings punch Australia had been sorely lacking the previous four times they batted first in T20Is in 2026, where they scored at fewer than seven runs in the final three overs, compared to 12.66rpo in game three at St Vincent.
“We talk about how much depth we’ve got, it’s just about using that,” Nitschke said.
“And probably that’s an area that we haven’t done so well in through the India series and earlier in this series, just finish off the innings really well, so that was really pleasing, from our point of view, to be able to finish off that game the other night and post a really defendable score.”
In case there was any doubt, Voll’s the real deal
Georgia Voll became the fourth Australian woman to score a T20I century in the third T20I, as her 53-ball 101 saw her join Mooney, Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy in an exclusive club.
Even more impressive is the milestone came in just her 12th T20I, and the 22-year-old is averaging 39.5 at a strike rate of 156.43 in the format, with three half-centuries to sit alongside Monday’s maiden hundred.
Opener partner Beth Mooney was the star of the first T20I, scoring a match-winning 79 from 55 deliveries.
At No.3, Phoebe Litchfield made a couple of exciting starts without being able to go onto a more significant score, posting knocks of 6, 35 and 15. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting batters in the country and well-established in her ODI game, Litchfield has yet to fully unlock her best at first drop in the T20I side, averaging 19 with a strike rate of 126 since her promotion at the start of 2025.
“(Voll’s) been awesome all summer, to be fair,” Nitschke said.
“She came into that number three position (in the ODIs) on the back of an injury to Ellyse Perry in the India series, and played beautifully and has just continued on.
“She’s such a level head, and really important for us at the top of the order as well.”
Opportunity the priority for pace attack
Australia prioritised opportunity for their pace bowlers in St Vincent, rotating players and testing them in different phases of the innings, leaving unknowns around how they’ll actually line up when they play their first World Cup game for points.
Megan Schutt was back displaying her experience and class after sitting out all three T20Is against India, picking up 0-18 in the series opener and bowling opener Qiana Joseph second ball of the washed-out series finale.
Kim Garth bowled superbly across the first two matches before sitting out the third, taking 1-17 from four overs in game one, while in game two she leaked just three runs from her two Powerplay overs and finished with figures of 0-20.
Darcie Brown played one match, taking 0-27 from three overs, while Nicola Carey opened the bowling alongside Garth in game two and finished with 0-28.
McGrath also had opportunities with the ball across the series, with her combined five overs going for 0-46.
Lucy Hamilton debuted in the third T20I and while the washout limited her to two overs, she picked up the wicket of West Indies No.3 Eboni Brathwaite with her composure under pressure hailed by Molineux.
“We certainly were able to see some people in some different roles, and to expose Lucy in this format,” Nitschke said.
“Unfortunately, we had a shortened game, so we didn’t get to see her bowl her full quota of four overs, but just to be able to see her out there, and the impact she had in the Powerplay was was really good and I think we’ve had a good chance to have a look at a couple of things.”
Qantas tour of the West Indies 2026
First T20I: Australia won by 43 runs
Second T20I: Australia won by 17 runs
Third T20I: Australia won by 40 runs (DLS method)
First ODI: March 28, Warner Park, St Kitts, 5am AEDT (March 27, 2pm local)
Second ODI: March 30, Warner Park, St Kitts, 5am AEDT (March 29, 2pm local)
Third ODI: April 3, Warner Park, St Kitts, 5am AEDT (April 2, 2pm local)
West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Chinelle Henry (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia Wilson
All matches to be broadcast on ESPN via Disney+ only
