Manchester, June 12 (IANS) Australia will kick off their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a challenging Group 1 clash against South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The six-time champions enter the tournament as the world’s top-ranked T20I side and will be aiming to make a strong start under the leadership of new captain Sophie Molineux. Meanwhile, South Africa, currently ranked fifth in the format, arrive with growing confidence as they continue to establish themselves among the elite teams in women’s cricket.

The Proteas will once again be led by Laura Wolvaardt, who captains the side in her second consecutive T20 World Cup. South Africa will hope to carry forward the momentum they have built over recent years and challenge one of the most dominant teams in the history of the competition.

Historically, Australia have enjoyed overwhelming success against South Africa in T20 internationals. The Australians have won nine of the 11 meetings between the two teams, while South Africa have managed just two victories.

Australia’s dominance is even more evident on the World Cup stage. The teams have faced each other eight times in Women’s T20 World Cup history, with Australia emerging victorious in seven of those contests. South Africa’s only win in the tournament came during the 2023 edition.

When: Saturday, June 13, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester

Where to watch: The Australia vs South Africa match will be broadcast on Star Sports channels, with JioHotstar live-streaming the game.

Squads:

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

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk

–IANS

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