Ashleigh Gardner has reaffirmed her belief that Australia remain the world’s best women’s cricket team, despite recent semi-final exits at the ODI and T20 World Cups. As the team prepares for a high-profile home series against India, the allrounder says Australia do not need sweeping changes to reclaim global titles—just sharper execution in key moments.
Australia Confident Despite Recent World Cup Exits
Australia dominated women’s cricket between 2018 and 2023, winning every ODI and T20 World Cup in that period. However, semi-final losses at the past two global tournaments have left the team without either trophy for the first time in years.
Gardner insists those defeats do not reflect a decline in standards. Outside of the knockout matches, Australia won every group game at both World Cups and remain comfortably on top of the ICC rankings across formats. According to Gardner, the difference has come down to small moments under pressure rather than structural or tactical flaws.
She pointed to missed chances and lapses in discipline—particularly during the ODI World Cup semi-final loss to India—as decisive factors. Rather than a major overhaul, Gardner believes the focus will be on improving decision-making and composure in high-pressure situations when the squad regathers in February.
Australia’s response to adversity has already shown promise. After their shock semi-final loss to South Africa at the 2024 T20 World Cup, the team adopted a more aggressive batting mindset. That shift paid immediate dividends with a historic clean sweep of England in last summer’s multi-format Ashes series, winning all three T20Is, all three ODIs, and the one-off Test.
Focus Shifts to India Series and T20 World Cup 2026
Australia will return to international cricket in February with a blockbuster multi-format home series against ODI World Cup champions India at the SCG and other venues. That will be followed by another multi-format tour of the West Indies, before attention turns firmly to the next major prize—the T20 World Cup in England in June.
Gardner is expected to play a central role in Australia’s plans and is widely viewed as a future leader, with vice-captaincy or even the captaincy a strong possibility once Alyssa Healy steps aside in the next four-year cycle.
For Gardner, the disappointment of recent World Cup exits has already become motivation. She admits the endings were frustrating but remains confident Australia can convert dominance into trophies again.
With June approaching faster than it seems, Australia’s challenge is clear: prove they are still the world’s best when it matters most.
