Sophie Molineux had giant shoes to fill when she was named Alyssa Healy’s successor as Australia captain and readily admits there were moments when she was not sure she would be able to make the step up.
After leading her country to ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 glory in front of nearly 30,000 spectators at Lord’s, it is fair to say that the all-rounder has passed the test with flying colours.
Eight years into her international career, the 28-year-old was selected to replace Healy when she announced her retirement from all three formats at the start of 2026.
But a back injury almost immediately saw her miss the end of the multi-format series against India in February before she was again limited in a tour of the West Indies a month later.
That injury history led selector Shawn Flegler to say that the captaincy decision might even be reassessed, but Molineux has recovered to inspire her side, both as a captain and a bowler, to global glory.
Asked whether there was satisfaction at putting those doubts to bed, Molineux responded with an emphatic “Yes”.
“It’s been the most amazing day. To have walked away with a World Cup under our arms in front of nearly 30,000 here at the Lords, it was an incredibly special day.
“I think when I took over (the captaincy), I was a bit messy at the start, to be fair. Captaining a couple of games and getting injured, shock.
“I suppose there were a few doubts internally and a few doubts externally. But I think what maybe I’ve learnt over my journey so far is that you just have to keep believing.
“I’m incredibly lucky that people believed in me, and I suppose I believe in this team and this group more than anything as well. It’s really satisfying.
“When I did miss those games at the start of the summer after just being announced captain, it probably made me feel like it might not work out.
“But I just think I’m so incredibly lucky with the support I’ve had over the last, not only just the last six months, but it’s been 10 years in this team for Australia.”
Molineux’s figures of one for 32 from her four overs do not tell the full story of how she helped stifle England after putting them in.
Despite the best efforts of Nat Sciver-Brunt (58 not out) and Freya Kemp (44 not out), England were restricted to 150 for four from their 20 overs.
And it quickly became clear that would not be enough when Beth Mooney (64) and Phoebe Litchfield (48) put on 100 to set up a seven-wicket victory.
Mooney was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament for her efforts, the latest accolades for the opener, who seems to save her best for the biggest occasions.
Molineux paid tribute to the keeper’s ability to step up when her team needs her most.
She said: “Moons is incredible. She’s built for finals. She is so incredibly consistent, and I think her game’s gotten better over the last few months.
“She plays with this freedom, but at the same time, she’s probably the smartest cricketer I’ve ever played with.
“The way she can sum up situations and be able to grind out innings, and at the same time, like today, she has got all the shots and is able to play freely.
“She’s a leader in this group of girls. They listen when she speaks. She’s the backbone to our batting group, and her behind the stumps was just next level today.”
Screwtape
The fastest cricket pitch ever recorded was thrown by Shoaib Akhtar during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He clocked in at 100.23 mph (161.3 km/h) during a match with England. Akhtar’s feat made him the first cricket bowler to reach 100 mph and he did this twice during his storied career. He earned the nickname “The Rawalpindi Express” for his impressive pitches.
Pearl Girl
Sport Trivia: Which South African who played between 1949 and 1960 was named a Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1956? Answer: Hugh Tayfield. Hugh Tayfield once bowled 137 consecutive dot balls in a 1956/57 Test match against England which was held in Durban. Statistics for bowlers who have played 20 or more tests show that Hugh Tayfield conceded only 1.64 runs per over during his test career.