Australian skipper Meg Lanning says it's not just her team under the pump in Monday's crucial Twenty20 World Cup game against New Zealand.
Australia and the White Ferns sit second and third respectively in Group A and the trans-Tasman battle at Melbourne's Junction Oval will decide which of them moves into the semi-finals along with leader India.
New Zealand have not beaten Australia since 2017 and they're happily claiming the underdog tag, with veteran batter Katey Martin insisting they have nothing to lose and all the pressure is on Meg Lanning's side.
Coming in as defending champions on home soil, with an expectation of a world record crowd for the MCG final, if they get there, that is mostly true.
Not making it out of the group stage for a team which has won four of the six T20 World Cups ever held would be a disaster for Australia.
The teams didn't square off last year, but Australia won all four T20s in 2018, including a 33-run World Cup group game triumph in the Caribbean.
The Kiwis claimed a 2-1 series win in Australia in February 2017, racking up victories in Geelong and Melbourne.
"They want to win as just as much as we do," Lanning said of New Zealand.
"They can throw that (the nothing to lose claim) out there if want to, but I don't think that's the case; every team is under the pump."
But Australia's chances of keeping hopes alive of a fifth World Cup title would take a blow if Ellyse Perry fails to recover from a hip injury.
The star allrounder has never missed a T20 World Cup match, featuring in every game for Australia since the first edition in 2009.
Australia could bring in quick Delissa Kimmince or spinner Molly Strano, who played in the first two World Cup games.
Young allrounder Sophie Molineux is rated as a "wait-and-see" option as she still battles a corked thigh suffered almost three weeks ago.
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/aust-ready-for-nz-t20-world-cup-showdown/67e36572-8ad4-410a-8136-7501480e253c
0 Comments