Madras Times - Power-packed Australia favourites to rewrite World Cup history

The defending champions have long dominated the 50-over game, winning seven of the 12 World Cups since the tournament was first played in 1973. They were runners-up on two other occasions.

No team other than Australia has successfully defended the World Cup. They won three on the trot between 1978-88, but that was 37 years ago.

Vice captain Tahlia McGrath said snapping the back-to-back drought when they pad up in India and Sri Lanka was a key driver.

Erasing bitter memories of being knocked out in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year, when they were three-time defending champions, will also spur them on.

"An ODI World Cup is special, they're probably the pinnacle," McGrath told reporters.

"For the players that were in Dubai (in 2024) it adds that bit of motivation, not a nice feeling the way we exited.

"And then the extra little bit of motivation as well that we want to be the first team in a while to go back-to-back (in the) ODI World Cup."

There is also a major financial incentive after the International Cricket Council quadrupled the prize pool.

The winners will get US$4.48 million, a 239 percent increase from the cheque Australia earned as champions three years ago.

National selector Shawn Flegler said he was confident the Alyssa Healy-led team was "up for the challenge", with enough depth and versatility to handle sub-continent conditions.

Australia head into their October 1 opener against New Zealand in Indore on the back of a 2-1 win over India this month in three ODI warm-ups, which helped them acclimatise.

But they also suffered a defeat to England on Sunday, where they experimented with their batting order.

- Depth of talent -

The games offered a glimpse into the type of wickets to expect, with an incredible 781 runs scored in the third match in Delhi.

Australia bagged a mammoth 412 of them to win by 43 runs, equalling their highest total ever.

"It certainly shows what's possible in the women's game now if you play with the right tempo and the right mindset," said Beth Mooney, who slammed 138 off 75 balls.

"Hopefully they don't all go like that, but I think it's a really great spectacle for where the game's at and hopefully where the game is going to go moving forward."

While clear World Cup favourites, Australia have injury worries.

Powerful all-rounder Grace Harris has been ruled out with a calf strain while spinner Sophie Molineux has played just one game since knee surgery in January.

Annabel Sutherland (hip), Phoebe Litchfield (quad) and Darcie Brown (back spasms) sat out the final India match, but were fit enough for the England clash in Bengaluru.

Encouragingly, spinner Georgia Wareham got through all four games after missing the Hundred with groin and adductor strains, as did Healy, who is on the comeback from major foot problems.

Healy was player-of-the-tournament in 2022, where she smashed 509 runs, including a sensational 170 in the final against England.

Barring injury setbacks, she will open alongside Litchfield with Ellyse Perry at three.

Mooney will then come in ahead of Sutherland, with Ashleigh Gardner and McGrath rounding out a formidable batting line-up.

Veteran Megan Schutt is set to lead the pace attack with Brown, complemented by Sutherland.

Coach Shelley Nitschke has plenty of options.

"Not sure what Shell's got in mind but we've got so much talent, so much depth over here that it doesn't really matter what team we throw out or what batting order," said McGrath.

W.Srinivasan--MT