Australia to push T20I limits against reigning World Champs

Australia’s late-season T20 foray to New Zealand has largely flown under the radar, but the near full-strength squad that has assembled in Auckland this week already has one eye on a far bigger – albeit much more distant – prize.

The three matches across Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington are packed into just six days at the end of a seven-month stint of non-stop cricket that included a T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

At first glance, the series has little broader context given the next major T20 tournament still 16 months away.

But these are also the last T20Is Australia will play in 2025, and following the final match in Wellington next week, they will play just six more games in the format, against India and West Indies in February-March 2026, before the next T20 World Cup in England in June 2026.

"We're coming off the back of a successful (Ashes T20) series and we want to finish off the season really well," Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said on Wednesday, citing the need for Australia to keep evolving their game after their semi-final exit at last year’s T20 World Cup.

"There's only nine T20s between now and the next world T20 World Cup.

"When you start to break it down like that, I think every opportunity that you get to play in that format is going to be really valuable for us.

"We'll certainly look to keep pushing (the limits of) how we're playing and play a really exciting brand of cricket."

This series is another chance for Georgia Voll to make her case as Alyssa Healy’s eventual successor at the top of the order, with the 21-year-old Queenslander set to continue filling in for Australia’s injured captain after debuting in the format during the Ashes.

Given Healy, who turns 35 this month, has not committed to an international future beyond next summer’s home multi-format series against India, it could well be Voll who walks out to open the batting at the 2026 tournament in England.

"It’s a big opportunity for Volly again ... she was presented with a chance in the Ashes, and obviously is here on this tour as well, and she’s certainly shown that she's got what it takes to be successful at this level so it’s exciting," Nitschke said.

It is also another chance for Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland to navigate their promotions up the order.

The young pair were shuffled up to No.3 and No.5 respectively for the Ashes T20Is after facing few balls during last year’s T20 World Cup, but neither fully grasped their opportunities, with Litchfield scoring 54 runs in three innings with a top score of 25 and Sutherland hitting 24 with a best of 18.

Alana King meanwhile will look to further cement her spot in the T20 XI after taking three wickets in her return to the format against England.

"I think that's something that we're wanting to stay with moving forward," Nitschke said of Litchfield and Sutherland’s roles.

"They've shown that they've got what it takes and certainly promoting the way we want to play is foremost for us.

"We certainly know with Kingy that when she's given an opportunity, she grabs it with both hands and brings her best, and is a bundle of energy out there ... you know when the when the ball's in her hand, something's going to happen."

Australia meanwhile are expecting to face a fired-up New Zealand side eager to prove why they are the reigning T20 World Cup champions.

New Zealand tied their T20I series against Sri Lanka 1-1 after the series decider in Dunedin was washed out on Monday, but the White Ferns have been boosted by the return of stars Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr and Lea Tahuhu.

The trio all missed their recent series against Sri Lanka, with Tahuhu injured, Devine taking time out of the game and Kerr helping Mumbai Indians win the Women’s Premier League in India.

"They're going to be coming at us pretty hard, they're the T20 world champs and they're back to full strength," Nitschke said.

The Australian squad touched down in Auckland on Tuesday and had an indoor hit-out at Eden Park on Wednesday due to wet weather.

Eleven members of the 14-strong Australian group are coming off WPL duties – although only Sutherland featured in Saturday’s final – and Nitschke said managing fatigue would be important.

"It's all part of the game now and they're all travelling pretty well," Nitschke said.

"The prep will be whatever people need to do over the next couple of days to make sure that they're ready to go, which is going to look a little bit different for different players depending on what their lead-in has been.

"There's a lot of flexibility there, just to make sure that everyone's getting what they need or taking the break that they need as well."

CommBank T20I tour of New Zealand

Australia T20 squad: Tahlia McGrath (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand T20 squad: Suzie Bates (c), Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu

First T20 | March 21: Eden Park, Auckland

Second T20 | March 23: Bay Oval, Tauranga

Third T20 | March 26: Sky Stadium, Wellington

All games start at 12.45pm AEDT, 2.45pm NZDT and will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports