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Australia captain Sophie Molineux fit for T20I opener vs NZ, Phoebe Litchfield remains doubtful

Australia’s Women’s National Cricket Team received a significant boost ahead of their three-match T20I series against New Zealand, with captain Sophie Molineux confirming her fitness for the opener at North Sydney Oval on October 18. Molineux, a key left-arm spinner, had missed the recent ODI series against Bangladesh due to a hip injury sustained after returning from The Hundred.

Following targeted training in Brisbane, she has now fully recovered and expressed excitement to lead the team in the first T20I, calling her return “really exciting” despite the unfortunate timing of her absence during the Bangladesh series.

Meanwhile, the team remains uncertain about Phoebe Litchfield’s availability for the opener. The young batter suffered a hip muscle strain during the second ODI against Bangladesh and did not participate in Friday’s training session at Cricket Central.

With the series condensed into five days, selectors are prioritizing her full recovery over rushing her back into action. Sophie Molineux noted that Litchfield’s progress is being monitored closely but remains undecided on her participation.

Additionally, fast bowler Lucy Hamilton, who missed the ODI series due to a quad injury, returned to action in a Governor-General’s XI match, bowling with pace despite early struggles with her run-up.

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