
Australia Women’s Cricket Team: Players, Schedule, World Cups
Australia’s women’s cricket team has collected 13 World Cup titles — a record that speaks for itself. The squad features some of the most recognizable names in the sport, including Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry, who also happen to be married to prominent male cricketers Mitchell Starc and Matt To’omua.
World Cups Won: 13 · Key Players: Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry · Former Name: Southern Stars · Current Formats: T20, ODI, Test · Squad Includes: Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt
Quick snapshot
- 13 World Cup wins — the most by any women’s team (Wikipedia)
- Alyssa Healy scored her 7,000th international run during the 2025 World Cup (Wikipedia)
- Won 3rd ODI vs India by 185 runs on 1 March 2026 at Hobart (ESPNcricinfo)
- Exact timing of Sophie Molineux taking over all-format captaincy from Alyssa Healy
- Current injury or form status updates for all squad members as of early 2026
- Details on regional broadcast arrangements for the 2026 home summer
- September 2022: Shelley Nitschke appointed interim coach (Wikipedia)
- September 2022: Nitschke confirmed as full-time head coach on four-year contract (Wikipedia)
- 30 September – 2 November 2025: World Cup in India and Sri Lanka (Wikipedia)
- First T20I against West Indies on 20 March 2026 at Kingstown (ESPNcricinfo)
- Captaincy transition from Healy to Sophie Molineux expected ahead of T20I series vs India in 2026 (ESPNcricinfo)
- Continued preparation for the next T20 World Cup cycle (ESPNcricinfo)
The table below consolidates official Cricket Australia records on Australia’s women’s national cricket team, enabling quick reference for squad composition, tournament history, and leadership structure.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Australia women’s national cricket team |
| Nickname | Southern Stars (former) |
| World Cups | 13 wins |
| Key Venue Source | Cricket Australia |
| Squad Highlights | Healy, Perry, Schutt |
| Head Coach | Shelley Nitschke (appointed September 2022) |
| 2025 World Cup Status | Defending champions, semi-finalists |
| 2026 Series vs India | T20Is, ODIs, and Only Test completed |
Australia Women’s national cricket team players
The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup squad featured a blend of experience and emerging talent. Alyssa Healy captained the side as wicket-keeper, with Tahlia McGrath serving as vice-captain. The roster included specialists across all formats: Darcie Brown and Ashleigh Gardner as all-rounders, Kim Garth and Megan Schutt leading the bowling attack, and Beth Mooney as backup wicket-keeper. Ellyse Perry, widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders in women’s cricket, provided balance in both batting and bowling departments.
Key squad members
- Alyssa Healy (wicket-keeper/captain): Scored her 7,000th international run during the 2025 World Cup, cementing her place among Australia’s all-time greats (Wikipedia tournament coverage). She retired from international cricket after the India series in 2026.
- Ellyse Perry (all-rounder): One of the most recognizable figures in women’s cricket, combining elite batting with effective seam bowling. According to the ICC official squad listing, she served as an all-format anchor for the team.
- Beth Mooney (wicket-keeper/batter): A reliable performer in both T20 and ODI formats, providing depth to the batting order.
All-rounders and bowlers
- Megan Schutt (bowler): Lead fast bowler known for swing and accuracy, a regular feature in the starting XI.
- Kim Garth (bowler): Pacer who strengthened the bowling attack, listed as bowler in the ICC official squad.
- Ashleigh Gardner (all-rounder): Provides off-spin options alongside hard-hitting lower-order batting.
- Annabel Sutherland (all-rounder): Emerging talent who contributes with both bat and ball.
Wicket-keepers
- Alyssa Healy: Primary wicket-keeper and captain, with over 7,000 international runs to her name.
- Beth Mooney: Backup wicket-keeper who has excelled in opening and middle-order roles.
The squad also included Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Voll, and Georgia Wareham, providing depth across batting, spin bowling, and fielding specialties. During warm-up matches, Phoebe Litchfield scored 71 against England before the batting collapse that saw Australia bowled out for 247 (cricket.com.au team coverage).
Which Australian cricketers’ wife is also a cricketer?
Australia’s women’s cricket team has its fair share of power couples — partnerships where both partners represent Australia at the highest level. The most prominent pairing involves Alyssa Healy, who married Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Both have built distinguished international careers independently, with Healy holding the wicket-keeper role for the women’s team while Starc has been a cornerstone of the men’s attack since 2010.
Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy
- The couple began their relationship in 2016 and have been married since 2022.
- Healy serves as captain of the women’s national team; Starc is a senior figure in the men’s team.
- Both represented Australia in multiple World Cups across formats.
- Their relationship has drawn significant media attention given their dual high-profile status in Australian cricket.
Other power couples
- Ellyse Perry and Matt To’omua: Perry, one of Australia’s most celebrated cricketers, is married to former rugby international Matt To’omua. While To’omua transitioned to rugby after his cricket career, their partnership represents another high-profile union in Australian sport.
- Perry’s status as a dual international (cricket and football) before focusing solely on cricket adds to her unique profile in Australian sport.
These relationships between players highlight the interconnected nature of elite Australian cricket, where families and partnerships span both men’s and women’s teams. For readers interested in Australian cricket dynamics, these connections often generate as much attention as match performances themselves.
Australian cricket has normalized the idea of dual-international couples at the elite level. Healy and Starc represent the benchmark — both active internationals, both World Cup winners.
For readers tracking team dynamics, the Starc-Healy partnership illustrates how elite cricket careers can interlock across genders without competitive rivalry undermining mutual support.
Australia Women’s National cricket team schedule
Following the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, Australia shifted focus to a comprehensive home summer against India. The series featured multiple formats, providing preparation for upcoming international assignments while testing the squad’s depth across T20, ODI, and Test cricket.
Upcoming fixtures
- 1st T20I vs West Indies: 20 March 2026 at Kingstown — the first assignment after the India series.
- The West Indies tour marks a return to Caribbean conditions, offering different challenges compared to the subcontinental venues of the 2025 World Cup.
2025/26 season vs India
The home summer against India proved highly successful for Australia. The ESPNcricinfo match records show:
- 3rd ODI (1 March 2026, Hobart): Australia won by 185 runs, posting 409/7 with India replying with 224 all out.
- Only Test (6-8 March 2026, Perth): Australia won by 10 wickets. India managed 198 in their first innings and 149 in the second; Australia scored 323 before reaching the target of 28 without loss.
The series demonstrated Australia’s dominance across all formats, with particular emphasis on the Test performance — a format where India historically struggles against top opponents. The comprehensive nature of the results — an 185-run ODI win followed by a 10-wicket Test victory — showcased the team’s adaptability and depth.
According to cricket.com.au international coverage, the Australia vs India home summer 2025/26 included T20Is, ODIs, and a Test match, providing varied preparation for the next international cycle.
The implication for the West Indies tour is clear: Australia enters with confidence, but Caribbean conditions will test whether the batting order has addressed the middle-order vulnerabilities exposed during the 2025 World Cup semi-final exit.
Australia women’s national cricket team World Cup
The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup brought heartbreak for Australia. As defending champions, they entered the tournament as favorites but fell to India in the semi-final on 30 October 2025, ending their bid for a record-extending 14th title (Wikipedia tournament details). India went on to defeat South Africa in the final on 2 November 2025, securing their maiden Women’s World Cup title.
World Cup achievements
- Total World Cup wins: 13 — by far the most successful women’s cricket team globally.
- The 2025 tournament featured 8 teams over 31 matches across 34 days in India and Sri Lanka.
- Host venues included Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Colombo.
- Australia qualified via the 2022–2025 Women’s Championship, finishing in the top 5 excluding hosts.
Despite the semi-final exit, Alyssa Healy achieved a personal milestone during the tournament, scoring her 7,000th international run. This stat underscores her status among the all-time greats of women’s cricket.
T20 World Cup focus
With the 2025 ODI World Cup concluded, attention shifts to future T20 World Cup cycles. Shelley Nitschke, Australia’s head coach since September 2022, will guide preparation for upcoming T20 assignments. The team features several specialists for the shortest format, including power hitters and death-over specialists.
Coach Nitschke commented on the team’s preparation ahead of the WT20 World Cup 2024, noting the importance of adapting to different opposition styles (ICC tournament coverage).
The 2025 semi-final exit marked Australia’s earliest World Cup elimination in years. The loss exposed gaps in middle-order batting that the team must address before the next T20 World Cup cycle.
What this means for the upcoming T20 cycle is that new captain Sophie Molineux inherits a squad with proven talent but unresolved middle-order questions — the West Indies tour will serve as an early diagnostic tool.
Is Ellyse Perry in a relationship?
Ellyse Perry, widely considered one of the best all-rounders in women’s cricket history, is married to Matt To’omua, a former Australian rugby international. The couple married in 2021, combining two distinguished careers in Australian sport. Perry’s sporting journey is particularly notable — she represented Australia in both cricket and football before ultimately choosing cricket as her sole focus in 2014.
Ellyse Perry’s personal life
- Spouse: Matt To’omua (married 2021)
- Career span: Debuted internationally in 2008; still active in 2026
- Notable achievements: Over 7,000 international runs across formats; 300+ wickets as a seam bowler
- Education: Bachelor of Arts from University of Sydney; maintains focus on holistic development alongside cricket
Husband Matt To’omua
Matt To’omua represented Australian rugby at international level, primarily as a utility back. He played for the Wallabies and multiple Super Rugby franchises before transitioning out of professional rugby. His sporting background complements Perry’s cricket career, though their disciplines differ significantly.
The couple has maintained relatively private personal lives despite their public profiles. Perry is known for her focused, professional approach to cricket, rarely discussing domestic matters in media appearances.
Perry’s dual-sport background (cricket and football) made her uniquely versatile as a young player. By fully committing to cricket from 2014, she optimized her career trajectory — a decision that now looks prescient given her 18-year international longevity.
The pattern here is instructive: elite multi-sport athletes rarely sustain dual careers at the highest level, and Perry’s single-minded pivot to cricket at age 24 set the foundation for her sustained dominance.
Who is the Australia women’s national cricket team coach?
Shelley Nitschke has served as Australia’s women’s national cricket team head coach since her appointment in September 2022. She began as interim coach before being confirmed in the full-time role on a four-year contract in September 2022 (Wikipedia coaching biography).
Shelley Nitschke background
- Playing career: Former Australian all-rounder with extensive international experience
- Coaching credentials: Served as assistant coach before stepping into the head role
- Achievement: Guided Australia to multiple T20 World Cup titles and ODI World Cup campaigns
- Playing style: Known for tactical flexibility and player development focus
Nitschke’s tenure has included both successes and challenges. During the 2025 World Cup warm-up matches, she addressed a batting collapse where Australia lost 6 wickets for 40 runs after Phoebe Litchfield’s 71, resulting in a bowled-out total of 247 against England (cricket.com.au match report).
Her assessment of the warm-up defeat showed characteristic transparency, acknowledging the need for smarter decision-making in pressure situations. Despite the loss, she praised the team’s overall preparation as excellent.
The upcoming captaincy transition from Alyssa Healy to Sophie Molineux represents Nitschke’s first major leadership change as head coach. How smoothly the handoff occurs will define the team’s stability through the 2026 cycle.
The catch is that Molineux takes over during a period of squad transition — several senior players may retire alongside Healy, leaving the new captain to integrate new faces while maintaining the winning culture that defined the Healy era.
Where to find Australia Women’s national cricket team standings
Official rankings for Australia’s women’s cricket team across formats are maintained by the ICC. These standings factor in recent tournament performances, bilateral series results, and bilateral ODI and T20I outcomes. As of early 2026, Australia maintained its position among the top three in both ODI and T20I formats following the India series victories.
Standings resources
- ICC official rankings: Available at icc-cricket.com, updated after each bilateral series and tournament
- ESPNcricinfo: Maintains historical records and current form tables
- Cricket Australia: Official team updates and squad announcements
The team’s ranking reflects consistent performance over multiple years, though the 2025 World Cup semi-final exit will impact ODI rankings. The upcoming West Indies T20I tour offers an opportunity to rebuild T20I standing ahead of the next World Cup cycle.
What this means for fans is that the West Indies T20Is carry ranking stakes beyond the result — each win helps buffer the ODI ranking impact from the 2025 semi-final exit.
Confirmed facts vs what’s uncertain
Confirmed facts
- 13 World Cup wins from official social media records
- Shelley Nitschke coaching since September 2022 (interim) and September 2022 (full-time)
- 3rd ODI vs India win by 185 runs on 1 March 2026
- Only Test vs India win by 10 wickets on 8 March 2026
- Alyssa Healy’s 7,000th international run milestone
- 2025 World Cup semi-final exit to India
What’s unclear
- Exact details of Sophie Molineux’s captaincy timeline from tier1 sources
- Precise status of Alyssa Healy’s retirement confirmation
- Current injury updates for squad members as of early 2026
- Regional broadcast details for 2026 home summer
Expert perspectives
We just needed to probably be a bit smarter with some of our decision making there.
Shelley Nitschke, Australia Women’s Head Coach (cricket.com.au match analysis)
For Australian cricket fans, the picture emerging from 2025/26 is one of transition. Alyssa Healy’s retirement after the India series signals the end of an era for the Southern Stars. Sophie Molineux’s appointment as successor represents both continuity and change — the new captain inherits a squad capable of competing at the highest level, but one that must address the middle-order vulnerabilities exposed in the 2025 World Cup semi-final loss to India.
The immediate challenge for Molineux and coach Shelley Nitschke will be integrating new leadership while maintaining the winning culture that produced 13 World Cup titles. The upcoming West Indies T20I tour on 20 March 2026 offers an early test of that balance.
Related reading: India vs Australia Match Scorecard · Bangladesh vs West Indies 2024
Key players like Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry will be in action during the upcoming Australia Women vs India 2026 series, intensifying the team’s World Cup preparations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Australia women’s national cricket team nickname?
The team was formerly known as the Southern Stars. The nickname reflected their national representation across Australian states and territories.
Who is the captain of Australia women’s national cricket team?
Alyssa Healy served as captain through the 2025 World Cup and has since retired from international cricket. Sophie Molineux has been appointed as her long-term successor as all-format captain, with the transition expected ahead of the T20I series against India in 2026.
What formats does Australia women’s national cricket team play?
Australia’s women’s team competes in three international formats: T20 (shortest format), ODI (50 overs per innings), and Test cricket (five-day matches). All three formats feature in their annual schedule.
Where to find Australia Women’s national cricket team standings?
Official ICC rankings at icc-cricket.com provide current standings for all formats. ESPNcricinfo and Cricket Australia also maintain updated rankings and historical records.
Who are the bowlers in Australia women’s national cricket team?
Key bowlers include Megan Schutt (lead pacer), Kim Garth (seamer), and Georgia Wareham (leg-spinner). Ashleigh Gardner also provides off-spin options as an all-rounder.
What is next for Australia Women’s national cricket team T20?
The team plays their first T20I against West Indies on 20 March 2026 at Kingstown. This tour marks the start of the new T20 World Cup cycle and provides opportunity for players to establish themselves under new captain Sophie Molineux.
How to follow Australia women’s national cricket team news?
Cricket Australia’s official website and social media accounts provide squad announcements and match updates. The ICC website covers international rankings and tournament schedules. ESPNcricinfo offers live scores and match reports.