With Healy retired, Molineux to captain Australia at the T20 Women's World Cup

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has announced its first World Cup women's cricket squad since the retirement of Alyssa Healy, with Ashleigh Gardner confirmed Wednesday as one of two vice-captains after being overlooked for the captaincy earlier this year. Healy announced in January that she planned to retire following a series against India. Healy ended her one-day international career in March with a score of 158 when Australia comfortably beat India. Spinner Sophie Molineux will lead the Australia squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5. The tournament features 12 teams competing in 33 matches across seven venues, with the final at Lord’s. New Zealand is the defending champion after having beaten South Africa by 32 runs in the United Arab Emirates in 2024. In 2023, Australia won its sixth title and third in a row by defeating South Africa in South Africa by 19 runs. Australia opens this year's tournament on June 13 against South Africa at Old Trafford. Left-arm fast bowler Lucy Hamilton surprisingly replaced Darcie Brown, who has 34 wickets in 41 T20 matches. Grace Harris and all-rounder Annabel Sutherland return to the squad. Australia selector Shawn Flegler praised Molineux for making an immediate impact as captain following Healy’s retirement. "These squads are never easy to select but we’re confident with the balance and stability we’ve got across the group. It’s an experienced group and one we believe is capable of winning the World Cup,” Flegler said. He said Brown was “unlucky to miss out.” “The decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the makeup of the side,” Flegler added. “With at least six right-arm pace options in the mix and raw pace expected to be less effective, we opted to go with Lucy Hamilton, who offers something different as a left-arm quick.” \\\_ Australia squad: Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner (vice captain), Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vice-captain), Sophie Molineux (captain), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia Wilson (traveling reserve) \\_ AP cricket: