Six-time champions Australia will kick off their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against two-time runners-up South Africa in a Group 1 clash at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday.
Twelve teams are competing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 title. The tournament is divided into two groups, with Australia, Bangladesh, India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and South Africa in Group 1, while England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies make up Group 2. Each team will face every other side in its group once, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Australia, the top-ranked team in women’s T20Is and the most successful side in the tournament’s history, will be determined to bounce back from the disappointment of the 2024 edition, when they failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time.
The Proteas, meanwhile, have established themselves as one of the most consistent teams on the world stage but are yet to lift a global trophy. They finished runners-up at the 2023 and 2024 Women’s T20 World Cups and also fell short in the final of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup against hosts India.
A new era has begun for Australia, with Sophie Molineux appointed captain after Alyssa Healy’s retirement from international cricket. While the Australians endured a difficult start to the year with a home series loss to India, they quickly regained momentum by securing a clean sweep over the West Indies on their Caribbean tour.
South Africa have played 10 matches these years and have won five and lost the same number of games. They first lost a five-match home series to New Zealand but bounced back to then defeat India.
World Cup Squad
- South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon, Dané van Niekerk
- Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Grace Harris, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molinuex (capt), Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt, Lucy Hamilton
Possible Playing XI
- South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Suné Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, ChloéTryon, Kayla Reyneke, Nadine De Klerk, Jafta, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka and Nonkululeko Mlaba.
- Australia: Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Nicola Carey, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux (capt), Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Megan Schutt.
Players to Watch
- Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa): The South Africa captain is one of the best batters in the world currently in white ball cricket. She is ranked no.3 in the T20Is and no.2 in ODIs. The opener has also been the leading run scorer in the last three editions of the women’s World Cups including two T20 World Cups and the ODI World Cup.
- Georgia Voll (Australia): Georgia Voll made her T20I debut last year and has quickly risen to become the top ranked women’s batter in the T20Is. In 12 T20I matches, she has scored nearly 500 runs, including a century and is averaging 39.50 and boasts of a strike rate of 156.43
Match Time
The match gets underway at 7 p.m. Indian Standard Time.
Broadcast Details
The match will be broadcasted on the Star Sports television channels.
LIVE Stream Details
The match will be streamed LIVE on the JioHotStar app and website.
ALSO READ: Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule, When And Where To Watch, Standings, Groups, Squads And More
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