Australia Women’s cricket team is confronting critical selection decisions ahead of their opening ODI World Cup match against New Zealand on Wednesday. Head coach Shelley Nitschke indicated that the squad, while strong, would require careful evaluation to balance form, fitness, and tactics. The team’s final preparation included a four-wicket loss to England in Bengaluru. Australia’s batting showcased initial dominance at 127 for 2 in the 16th over, largely through Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield, who combined for 71 runs off 48 deliveries. However, a sudden collapse triggered by Sarah Glenn’s legspin left the middle order under pressure. Sophie Molineux returned to competitive cricket for the first time since last December after knee surgery, registering five runs and taking 1/37 in the warm-up. Her inclusion introduces a legspin selection dilemma, particularly against established options Georgia Wareham and Alana King, with Nitschke confirming that final decisions will be made closer to the match. Read also: Salman Agha Throws Runners-Up Cheque After Asia Cup 2025 Loss Evaluating the Pace Attack and Batting Line-Up The pace unit also faces assessment. Darcie Brown impressed after recovering from a back spasm, taking 1/30 in six overs, though Megan Schutt and Kim Garth remain first-choice. Batting choices are similarly complex. Georgia Voll, averaging 63.50 across her initial five ODIs, could be the frontline batter to miss, while Heather Graham, covering for the injured Grace Harris, did not bat or bowl against England. Nitschke emphasized that Australia’s aggressive batting approach remains intact, despite misreading Sarah Glenn’s deliveries. She praised the bilateral series against India for conditioning the squad under challenging conditions and expressed confidence in the team’s acclimatization to Indian pitches. Nitschke said, “Just to see her [Molineux] out there was fantastic. It’s been close on 12 months, but just to have her out there bowling again, that’s a really good thing for us and our squad. I guess we’ll sit down in the next couple of days and assess everything and see how we line up. We’ve got a really good squad here. Everyone’s played well, so we’ve got decisions to make for sure.” The team will finalize selections in the coming days before facing New Zealand in Indore.