Australia’s selectors have also picked two legspinners in Alana King and Georgia Wareham alongside the left-arm orthodox Molineux and offspinning allrounder Ash Gardner. Whether all four can play in the same XI remains to be seen.

Brown’s axing is noteworthy given she was a pivotal contributor in Australia’s last T20 World title in South Africa in 2023 when she took 2 for 18 from four in the semi-final against India and 1 for 25 from four in the final against South Africa. But she only played three matches in the 2024 edition in the UAE and bowled just one over in each of the three games she played.

Brown has also gone wicketless in her four T20Is this year against India in home and West Indies away. She did not bowl her full quota of overs in any of those games and conceded more than nine runs per over in the last three.

“Darcie Brown was unlucky to miss out but the decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the makeup of the side,” Flegler said. “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.”

Hamilton has made a meteoric rise after only making her T20I debut in March in the Caribbean. She has played just one T20I, two ODIs and one Test in her career to-date but she starred on Test debut against India taking six wickets while she proved effective with her angle in her two outings across the two white-ball formats in the Caribbean. She will be the only left-arm seam option alongside the right-arm group of Kim Garth, Megan Schutt, Nicola Carey, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry.

Harris returns to add power to the lower middle-order after being left out of the West Indies tour. She has only played one T20I in the last 12 months and has only batted once in her last four matches. But she is coming off a century in Queensland’s WNCL final victory in March and also helped Royal Challenger Bengaluru to the WPL title in February, albeit with a feast or famine season with the bat.

“She’s a handy all-round option and someone who can take the game away from an opposition,” Flegler said.

Australia also welcome back Sutherland after she was rested for the series in the Caribbean. She will play a key role with the ball but the role she will play with the bat remains a mystery having batted at Nos.7 and 8 in her last two T20Is against India. She only batted twice in the last T20 World Cup at No.9 and No.8.

The selectors have only picked one wicketkeeper in the main squad with Beth Mooney taking the gloves after Alyssa Healy’s retirement. But New South Wales and Sydney Thunder wicketkeeper Tahlia Wilson will travel with the squad as a reserve.

Australia will play three warm-up games against South Africa at Arundle Castle on May 31, June 2 and 4 before they begin their World Cup campaign against the same opponent at Old Trafford on June 13.

Australia’s T20 World Cup squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson