Australia loses Toss, bat first in T20 World Cup opener

Alyssa Healy has returned to the Australian line-up for the defending champions’ high-octane opening match at the T20 World Cup in South Africa against New Zealand.

The New Zealanders won the draw and opted to bowl on Saturday at Boland Park, Paarl.

The game marks the return of Australia vice-captain Healy for the first time since the fourth T20I on the India tour in December, when she picked up a calf injury which she has since sidelined.

However, she had kept the wicket in Australia’s first warm-up game of the T20 World Cup against India in Cape Town and also struck in the second game against Ireland in Stellenbosch after scoring a 40-ball 62.

teams:

Australia: Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.

New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Hannah Rowe, Hayley Jensen, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas.