No place for Darcie Brown as six-time champions Australia name squad for ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Six-time champions Australia have announced their 15-player squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, with 20-year-old pacer Lucy Hamilton edging out Darcie Brown. 

The left-arm seamer Hamilton seems to have impressed the selectors a great deal. Her ability to make the new ball talk with the left-arm angle makes her a huge asset for the Aussies. Her handy lower-order batting also made her case stronger.

Brown, meanwhile, went wicketless in all three games (one T20I and two ODIs) she played during Australia's white-ball tour of the West Indies in March-April. It seems to have gone against her and cost her a place in the squad. Brown has 34 wickets in 41 T20Is for Australia at an economy rate of 6.64.

Batting allrounder Grace Harris has marked her return to the T20I set-up after she was not picked for the Caribbean tour. Harris, 32, is one of the most feared ball strikers in the shortest format of the game. She has a career strike rate of 154.95 and has aggregated 578 runs in 55 T20Is.

Emerging batting allrounder Annabel Sutherland has also been picked for the marquee tournament. She was rested for the series against West Indies.

The designated captain, Sophie Molineux, will lead the squad. She will have Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner as her two deputies for the multi-nation tournament.

Australia's pace battery has plenty of depth and a mix of youthful exuberance and invaluable experience. Hamilton, Megan Schutt, Ellyse Perry, Sutherland, Kim Garth, McGrath and Nicola Carey are the seven pace-bowling options available at Australia's disposal. They will also have the guile of Alana King and Georgia Wareham in the spin department alongside Gardner's off-spin.

Australia are in Group 1 alongside India, Pakistan, Netherlands, South Africa, and Bangladesh. They'll start their campaign against South Africa at Old Trafford on June 13.

Australia's squad for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson