Sophie Molineux, who missed out on playing the 2022 World Cup due to an injury, has been recalled to the Australia squad for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, which will be played from September 9 in India and Sri Lanka.
The seven-time winners Australia, who have ten members of the squad that featured in the previous edition back in 2022, have added Molineux to bolster the spin attack in sub-continent conditions. The Australian spin attack will now feature Ashleigh Gardner, leg-spinner Alana King, and Georgia Wareham, alongwith Molineux.
While talking about her road to recovery, Molineux expressed her hope of getting some game time before the Cricket World Cup. However, the ongoing rehabilitation for a knee injury she sustained last year could keep her away from action, with direct participation in the tournament instead.
“We were aiming to play some games before that World Cup, but the way it’s panned out is I’ll probably get into it at the World Cup – no (better) way to rip a Band-Aid off than that. Traditionally, I’d bowl and bowl and bowl, and feel really confident and comfortable through bowling a heap of overs each week and playing games at cricket, (but) it’s not the case now,” Molineux told cricket.com.au.
“So I think I’ve been able to tap into some different things to prepare for a World Cup and to perform, hopefully, straight away,” he added.
Sophie Molineux’s ODI World Cup Dream
Since her debut in 2018, Molineux has played 13 ODIs, taking 23 wickets at an impressive average of 14.39 and an economy rate of 3.29. Though the journey to recovery has been tough, the spinner is looking forward to her participation in what will be her maiden Cricket World Cup.
“The cherry of a World Cup is definitely something big, I’ve never been to a one-day World Cup, so the sound of that was always chiming in the back of my head throughout the winter. But I think it’s (also) just about getting back and feeling good out on the cricket field again, no matter what colours I am in,” she said.
The 27-year-old Molineux is unlikely to feature in the three-match ODI series against India before the start of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 as a precautionary measure with the defending champions Australia hoping for her full recovery ahead of the tournament.
Australia will take on New Zealand in the first game of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 on October 1 at Indore.