TOO HOT TO HANDLE?

With 100,000 expected for the final at the MCG, Australia expects. With Matthew Mott at the helm and Meg Lanning in charge on the field, there are no obvious weaknesses in the hosts’ armoury.

Megan Schutt is the world’s top-ranked T20I bowler, while Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen and Sophie Molineux are three fine spin-bowling allrounders. And then there’s the big three: Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Lanning herself.

They are the team to beat, having won 23 of their 26 T20Is in 2018 and 2019. Would you bet against them retaining their crown?

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

The dominant team in the women’s game has enjoyed a dominant year to match. Series wins against England and Sri Lanka were brought up with maximum efficiency.

Just a single T20I defeat in 2019 – and that was a dead rubber, with the Women’s Ashes already safe and secure in Meg Lanning’s grasp.

RECENT RESULTS RESULTS (most recent last - to Feb 1): WWWLWWWWWW

GLOBAL DOMINATION

Only once have the Australians failed to reach the final and not since the very first edition of the tournament.

You’d be a brave punter to bet against that record coming to an end on home soil.

The competition’s four-time winners proved too strong for England in 2018, while defeat against West Indies in the 2016 final is the only blemish on the hosts’ copybook.

This instalment marks the first time the T20 World Cup – as it is now known – has been held Down Under. Given everything – expectation, history, form and talent, Australia will settle for nothing less than continuing their dominance in this format.

WORLD CUP RECORD

2009: Semi-finals

2010: Winners

2012: Winners

2014: Winners

2016: Runners-up

2018: Winners