Cricket Australia has announced a 14-member women’s squad for the upcoming home assignments against Bangladesh and New Zealand, with the reigning T20 World Cup champions set for their first international cricket since lifting the title in England.

Australia will face Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series in Brisbane before taking on New Zealand in a three-match T20I series in Sydney. The same group has been selected across both assignments, although captain Sophie Molineux‘s availability remains subject to her recovery from a hip injury.

Sophie Molineux named captain despite injury concern

Molineux remains at the top of Australia’s leadership group after guiding the team to the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup title. However, the all-rounder is currently managing a hip problem and Australia’s medical staff will assess her involvement as the series approaches.

Molineux played every match during Australia’s World Cup campaign and was subsequently named captain of the tournament’s team. Her fitness will therefore be closely monitored before the Bangladesh ODIs begin.

In her absence, Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner remain Australia’s vice-captains, providing experienced leadership options within the squad.

Australia’s 14-member squad

The squad selected for the Bangladesh ODIs and New Zealand T20Is is:

Sophie Molineux (captain), Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll and Georgia Wareham.

One notable detail is that Lucy Hamilton is available for the T20I series but will miss the three ODIs because of a minor quadriceps strain suffered during training. The selectors are hopeful she can recover in time for the New Zealand matches.

Fast bowler Darcie Brown is another absentee after being ruled out with a back injury. Grace Harris, meanwhile, has missed selection despite being part of Australia’s World Cup-winning group.

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Australia Women set to begin life after T20 World Cup triumph

The Bangladesh and New Zealand series represent an important transition for Australia. The team remains packed with established names such as Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland and Tahlia McGrath, while younger players including Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll and Lucy Hamilton continue to develop within the international setup.

For Molineux, the immediate priority will be recovering fully from her hip problem. For the wider squad, the six matches provide an opportunity to maintain Australia’s momentum after their World Cup success while preparing for the next phase of the international calendar.

With the Bangladesh ODIs carrying Women’s Championship points and the New Zealand T20Is serving as Australia’s only T20Is before the inaugural T20 Champions Trophy in India next February, the upcoming home series could prove significant for both formats.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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