Three years after debuting for Australia at DY Patil Stadium as a teenager, Phoebe Litchfield is set to return there for a crunch World Cup semi-final
Phoebe Litchfield is the first to admit that she is no stranger to impostor syndrome.
But after going from teenage prodigy to an established Australian opener in the space of a few years, any feeling of not belonging is quickly fading.
Litchfield will on Thursday experience a rare full-circle moment at age 22, when Australia take to DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai against India.
It’s the same ground where Litchfield made her Australian debut three years ago, walking out in a T20 as a 19-year-old whose talent had been well publicised for some time.
Back then, she was on her first Australian tour, having shot to fame as a teenager when a video of her batting in the nets with NSW went viral.
Now she is now set to open the batting in a ODI World Cup semi-final, seeking a shot at a maiden global trophy.
“I always had a bit of confidence heading in, but there was always a bit of impostor syndrome as well,” Litchfield told AAP.
“Even now, I still acknowledge that I’m still learning the game and I’ve got to give myself credit in that way sometimes, especially when I make mistakes.
“I still feel quite new. I still feel young, which is nice. But I definitely feel more comfortable.
“And the longer you spend with a group, the more comfortable you get and the relationships you build. That’s probably why you start to feel more comfortable.”
Litchfield’s career since 2022 has been nothing short of a whirlwind, including a century on return to Mumbai for a multi-format series in 2023.
But for the first time since her debut, the left-hander has had time to breathe and properly work on her batting this year.
The lead up to this year’s World Cup was deliberate, with hours spent in the nets with her dad, Cricket NSW and personal batting coach Ash Squire.
A focus was put on the sweep shot, along with her balance at the crease and not overcommitting against the new ball.
Litchfield followed that up by being player of the tournament in The Hundred in England, before averaging 49.14 since arriving in India last month for an ODI series against the hosts and the World Cup.
“That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve found since debuting,” Litchfield said.
“A session comes and you want to work on a sweep or you’ve got a technical flaw. But you’ve got a game tomorrow. So it’s not the time to.
“I was really deliberate with the time I had off. And we got going. Then coming into the games I put that to the back of my mind and see if the habits come in.
“I try not to think about it too much but hopefully the work has shone through.”
2025 Women’s ODI World Cup
Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Australia’s group stage matches
October 1: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs
October 4: v Sri Lanka: Abandoned without a ball bowled
October 8: Australia beat Pakistan by 107 runs
October 12: Australia beat India by 3 wickets
October 16: Australia beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets
October 22: Australia beat England by 6 wickets
October 25: Australia beat South Africa by 7 wickets
Finals
Semi-final 1: England v South Africa, Guwahati, October 29, 8:30pm AEDT
Semi-final 2: Australia v India, Mumbai, October 30, 8:30pm AEDT
Final: Mumbai, November 2, 8:30pm AEDT
All matches to be broadcast exclusively live and free on Prime Video.
