ICC Women's World Cup: SWOT analysis of Australia

As defending champions of the Women's World Cup, Australia entered the 2017 edition of the extravaganza as one of the firm favourites to lift the coveted trophy.

Under the astute leadership of Meg Lanning and the experience of Rachael Haynes, the Aussie unit set foot on the English shores aiming to repeat the heroics of the 2013 World Cup held in India. 

While they produced dominating performances all through the league stage of the competitions, the Australians were up against an exceptional talent in the semi-finals of the coveted trophy. 

In a rain-affected match, Harmanpreet Kaur carved her name in the record books and smashed an unbeaten 171 runs off 115 deliveries studded with 20 boundaries and seven hits over the fence to propel the Indian team to a 36-run win and secure their place in the finals of the world even.

In an ICC captain's conference, Meg Lanning said shared the difference between the side that competed in the two world events by saying, "This group that we've got here is very different to 2017. I think the majority of the players were not even involved in the tournament, and the majority of the staff also weren't there."

"The impact of the 2017 World Cup has obviously changed the way we play, but, from now really moving forward, this World Cup is completely different," she said. 

The loss laid the platform for a strong Aussie comeback as the team toured India and dismantled the opposition with a series win to start their dominance in the 50-over format. 

Over the years, the two sides have been involved in a fierce rivalry that enthralled millions of people across the globe, and they kickstarted their journey to supremacy in the first series away from home on 12th March 2018 at Vadodara. 

Ever since that game, the Aussie unit has been on a rampage by winning 26 ODI games across three years before the Women in Blue finally managed to halt their juggernaut in the final match of their tour to Australia in September 2021. 

With the team set to face the defending champions, England, in their opening match on Saturday 5th March at Seddon Park, we at Cricket.com help you with a detailed analysis ahead of the much-anticipated tournament. 

Strength

Over the past couple of years, the batting unit of the Australian side has been their strength with the emergence of Alyssa Healy and her form at the top of the order. 

The destructive opening batter and Haynes have formed a steady combination at the top of the order and often laid a solid foundation for the side. 

In the 21 innings post the 2017 World Cup, the duo have amassed 1272 runs at an average of 60.5. While the right-handed batter has been the aggressor, scoring 1635 runs in 33 innings at a strike rate of 101.9, which is also the best among the top-five leading run-scorers, Haynes has played the role of an anchor to perfection. 

Weakness

While the batting prowess has been their strength, the team will be hampered by the lack of spin bowling options at the mega event. 

With Ashleigh Gardner set to miss a couple of games because of a positive covid test and Sophie Molineux ruled out due to injury, the depth of the spin bowling department to support Jess Jonassen will be an area of concern for the side. 

The left-arm spinner is also returning to competitive sport after a long injury layoff and will enter the World Cup with only a handful of games under her belt. 

Opportunity

After their record-breaking triumph at home in front of a capacity crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the summit clash of the T20 World Cup, Australia will enter this tournament as one of the favourites. 

The team has lost only two game in the lead-up for this quadrennial event and have stamped their authority in this format at the international level. With a clean sweep against England in the multi-format Ashes series at home, the team will set foot in the land of the Kiwis, riding high on confidence. 

Threat 

While Australia seemed to have all the bases covered, one of the glaring issues for the side will be the lack of options in the bowling unit, especially the spinners. With the all-around option of Gardner ruled out for the first two games, the onus of the side will rely heavily on Jonassen and Alana King. 

Despite being one of the finds for Australia in the Ashes series, leg-spinner is new to international cricket, and lack of experience at the crucial junctures of the world event can hamper the fortunes of the side. 

The team will also bank heavily on their premier bowler, Megan Schutt, to create early inroads in the opposition batting unit in conditions conducive for seamers. 

However, the right-arm pacer is also returning to the side after being away from the sport and missed the India series due to personal reasons and linked up with the squad for the Ashes. 

With lack of matches in the lead-up to the event for the bowling department, this area could be an issue that can derail Australia's journey in the World Cup. 

Squad:

Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

Fixtures:

March 5 vs England 

March 8 vs Pakistan

March 13 vs New Zealand

March 15 vs West Indies

March 19 vs India

March 22 vs South Africa

March 25 vs Bangladesh