Australia have lost the toss and will bowl first in their T20 World Cup opener against Sri Lanka at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
Star batter Phoebe Litchfield, who missed Australia’s two warm-up matches with a groin injury, has been named in the XI.
“She’s fit and ready to go,” Australia captain Alyssa Healy said.
Allrounder Grace Harris, who has been battling a calf strain, was left out.
Healy is just 13 runs away from becoming the second Australian woman to score 3000 runs in women’s T20Is, after Meg Lanning (3405).
Australia will rely on Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner for the spin duties against Sri Lanka.
“We’re having a bowl, which I’m not too unhappy about,” Healy told Prime.
“To get out there together as a group for the first game of the World Cup is not a bad thing.
“We’re well prepared. It seems like a real calmness around our group, which is amazing considering a lot of girls are in their first World Cup.”
Australia have won the T20 World Cup six times, and they are aiming for four crowns in a row.
Sri Lanka have already played one match at this year’s T20 World Cup, losing to Pakistan by 31 runs.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (capt), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Fernando, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodani.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au