Women’s T20 WC: Ashleigh Gardner back for Australia as Netherlands opt to bowl

The Netherlands won the toss and elected to field against powerhouse Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Australia welcomed back fit-again Ashleigh Gardner, while handing a highly anticipated tournament debut to young left-arm speedster Lucy Hamilton

Southampton: Netherlands won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the 14th match of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

Six-time champions have made some big changes in the playing XI as Ashleigh Gardner is back after missing the last match due to injury and Lucy Hamilton is playing her first Women’s World Cup match.

---

Australia are up and running after a perfect start with back-to-back wins, meaning they sit joint top of Group 1 alongside India in a group featuring all three of last year’s semi-finalists. Already having accounted for a big one when beating South Africa in their opener, should the Aussies prevail over the Dutch and Pakistan then they will arrive in Lord’s for their crunch final group encounter with India in a very strong position.

The match offers the Netherlands the chance to measure themselves against one of the pre-tournament favorites of world cricket once again. This is the nation’s debut at a T20 World Cup, but they have already shown plenty of fighting qualities in the face of tougher opposition.

There is zero history between the two sides in T20 cricket though they met at the Women’s ODI World Cups at intervals between 1988 and 2000, with the Australians taking all of those games by varying wide margins of 255 runs, 173 runs, 10 wickets, 115 runs and 10 wickets.

After winning the toss, Netherlands skipper Babette de Leede said, “We are going to bowl first; the conditions will suit our seamers, so hopefully we will get something out of it. To play 100 games, especially against a great side in a World Cup, is a special feeling. Same team.”

Whereas, Australia skipper Sophie Molineux said, ” It will be a good opportunity for us to be out there. Seeing it play out last night, I think there’s plenty of runs in it. Two changes: Megan Schutt and Grace Harris, and Ash Gardener and Lucy Hamilton are in. Lucy will be playing her first World Cup game.”

Playing XIs

Netherlands: Heather Siegers, Phebe Molkenboer, Babette de Leede(wK/c), Sterre Kalis, Robine Rijke, Frederique Overdijk, Iris Zwilling, Myrthe van den Raad, Silver Siegers, Caroline de Lange, Isabel van der Woning

Australia: Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney(wK), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux(c), Alana King, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton