October 18, 2026, Sydney:
Australia chose to bowl first against New Zealand in the opening women’s T20 International at North Sydney Oval on Sunday. Captain Sophie Molineux returned to lead the hosts, while Phoebe Litchfield missed out through injury and Tahlia McGrath regained her place.
The New Zealand vs Australia opener begins a three-match series, with all games scheduled at the same Sydney venue.
Litchfield’s Hip Injury Keeps Her Out
Litchfield’s absence follows a low-grade hip muscle strain sustained during her innings of 71 in the second ODI against Bangladesh. The injury had already ruled the left-hander out of the final match of that series in Brisbane.
Her availability remained uncertain ahead of the New Zealand fixtures. With three T20Is packed into five days, the short recovery period left Australia with a fitness decision over their top-order batter.
Molineux Returns After Missing Bangladesh ODIs
Molineux had missed the Bangladesh ODI series because of a hip injury suffered after her return from The Hundred. She declared herself fit ahead of the New Zealand opener after returning to training.
Her availability restores Australia’s regular captain and adds another left-arm spin option alongside the side’s established bowling resources.
Lucy Hamilton Selected as Megan Schutt Misses Out
Left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton also returned after a quadriceps injury, taking a place in the XI ahead of Megan Schutt.
Schutt entered the series with a strong case for selection following her performances against Bangladesh. However, her recent T20I opportunities have been limited. She played only once during Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year.
Australia arrived at the New Zealand series after winning the Bangladesh ODIs by seven wickets, nine wickets and eight wickets.
New Zealand Begin a New Chapter
Melie Kerr leads New Zealand into their first series following the retirements of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu.
The visitors also have interim head coach Dean Brownlie in charge after Ben Sawyer’s departure last month. The series provides an early test for a team adjusting to changes in both its playing group and coaching staff.
New Zealand vs Australia Confirmed Playing XIs
Australia: Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton.
New Zealand: Georgia Plimmer, Flora Devonshire, Melie Kerr, Maddy Green, Izzy Sharp, Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Polly Inglis, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Bree Illing.
Series Schedule and India Start Time
The three T20Is take place on October 18, October 20 and October 22 at North Sydney Oval. Each match is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. AEDT, equivalent to 1:45 p.m. IST.
The series finishes one week before the Women’s Big Bash League begins on October 29, giving players a short turnaround before their club commitments.
