Georgia Wareham re-called to Australian T20 World Cup team

• Georgia Wareham named in Australia’s team for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
• Leg-spinner has not played a T20 match since October 2021.
• Alana King appears to be the preferred choice for the starting XI.

Georgia Wareham was named to Australia’s team for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, making headlines for her inclusion following a prolonged injury absence.

Wareham beat out fellow leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington for a spot in the squad, which defeated India 4-1 in a T20I series late last year.

Wareham has not played a T20 match since rupturing her ACL in October 2021, with the Women’s National Cricket League 50-over competition serving as her only match practice upon her return.

Alana King, another leg-spinner, appears to be the preferred choice for the starting XI, with all-rounder Ash Gardner the other spin option in the predicted team.

Phoebe Litchfield was forced out of the squad due to the return of captain Meg Lanning, and Alyssa Healy was selected despite suffering from a calf strain that kept her out of several games during the India tour.

Healy will miss the three upcoming home ODIs against Pakistan, but he is expected to play in both the bilateral T20I series and Australia’s T20 World Cup defence.

Shawn Flegler, Australia’s national selector, admitted that the overall strength of Australia’s pool of players makes selection difficult.

“It’s always difficult to reduce a squad to just 15 players, but we’re confident we’ve chosen a well-balanced side that’s ready to compete for a third consecutive T20 title against Pakistan.

“Meg and Georgia bring a wealth of experience to the group, which is always important in big tournaments.

“Georgia, in particular, has had a difficult run of injuries, but she’s shown tremendous resilience, and her return is a huge boost for the team.”

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