Leeds, June 17 (IANS) Australia captain Sophie Molineux praised her team’s all-round performance after the six-time champions registered a dominant nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Headingley on Wednesday, saying the squad’s depth gives them the flexibility to adapt to any conditions.

Australia produced a clinical display with both bat and ball to secure their second consecutive victory of the tournament. After restricting Bangladesh to 77/8 in 20 overs, they chased down the target in just 9.3 overs, with opener Georgia Voll remaining unbeaten on 45.

Molineux said the decision to bowl first worked exactly as Australia had anticipated, with the bowlers making full use of the conditions.

“Yeah, it was sort of what we were expecting. Kimmy up front was beautiful. She got her shape and bowled beautifully. And then I think everyone who came on after that did their role. So it was, all in all, a good day,” Molineux said after the match.

Australia’s seamers enjoyed assistance from the Headingley surface early in the innings and quickly put Bangladesh under pressure. Kim Garth struck twice in her opening spell, while Elyssa Perry and Molineux claimed two wickets each as Bangladesh never recovered from their poor start.

One of the major positives for Australia was the performance of veteran all-rounder Elyssa Perry, who picked up two wickets before contributing an unbeaten 19 during the chase.

Molineux said Perry’s continued desire to improve remains one of her greatest strengths.

“Yeah, she’s warmed up every single game since 2023 as well. So she’s always chipping away at her game. And I think conditions like this really suit her. She’s always been able to shape the ball and can get a little bit out of the wicket as well,” Molineux said.

“So those conditions really suit her. And I think we’re just blessed that we’ve got options no matter what conditions or opponent we’re playing against,” She added.

The Australian captain also reserved special praise for opener Georgia Voll, whose aggressive batting ensured the chase was completed with minimal fuss. Voll struck six fours and a six in her unbeaten 45 and was named Player of the Match for her efforts.

“Yeah, that was great to see from Voll. We all know how clean a striker she is, and it was great to be able to see some of that today,” Molineux said.

The victory means Australia have now won both of their opening matches in the tournament and have quickly established themselves as one of the leading contenders for the title.

Despite the strong start, Molineux insisted her side will remain focused on taking the competition one match at a time.

“Yeah, I think so. It’s one game at a time. It’s a bit of a cliché, but we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. At the same time, we have to be able to enjoy wins like this. So yeah, all in all, it’s been a great start,” she said.

–IANS

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