Australia must survive a “group of death” to have any chance of winning a fourth consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup title in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Alyssa Healy’s side, having lifted the trophy in 2018, 2020 and 2023, will travel to the Middle East in late September ahead of the ICC tournament, which was moved from Bangladesh last month.

Australia has been placed in a group alongside India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan, with each nation posing a genuine threat in subcontinent conditions — captain Healy called it the “group of death”.

India and New Zealand have developed into powerhouse teams over the past decade, while Sri Lanka recently clinched a historic series triumph over England in the United Kingdom.

Speaking to Fox Cricket ahead of next week’s T20 series against the White Ferns, which serves as crucial preparation for the tournament, Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield acknowledged that it won’t be an easy campaign for the reigning champions.

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“We know you have to beat each team to win the World Cup,” Litchfield said.

“We’re not scared of it. We’re just more excited for the opportunity to play the best teams.

“If we can get through that group stage, we’re well and truly close to that World Cup.”

Former Test cricketer Mel Jones, who will commentate the New Zealand T20 series on Fox Cricket, warned that Australia couldn’t afford any slip-ups in the group stage. During the 2020 T20 World Cup on home soil, Meg Lanning’s side suffered a loss to India early in the tournament, scraping into the knockouts following tense wins over New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

“It’s a tough group, and it’s tough because of the form of Sri Lanka, winning the Asia Cup,” Jones told Fox Cricket.

“And it’s not just Chamari Athapaththu. They’ve got some serious players within that batting lineup now that are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

“It’s a tricky one. You can’t mess a game up.

“I think back to the T20 World Cup here, where Australia lost to India and then we’re 3-10 against Sri Lanka at the WACA. If that happens again, teams will take that opportunity now and really jump over you.

“There’s no snoozing … it’s exactly how you want World Cups to be.”

Litchfield believes the gap between Australia and second-tier teams is narrowing as more nations invest in women’s cricket. Earlier this week, Ireland secured its first victory over England in women’s T20Is, while Bangladesh has defeated the likes of South Africa, India and Pakistan over the last 18 months.

“To say that Ireland aren’t even in the World Cup, that’s a crazy thing as well, right?” Litchfield said.

“It’ll be awesome to have Scotland there, even Bangladesh. They’re beating world-class sides, and it’s just getting closer and closer, which is so good for women’s cricket.”

The next edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by England in 2026, will be expanded to 12 nations for the first time.

“You see Ireland missing out and then beating England, they probably deserve a spot in the World Cup,” Litchfield continued.

“You saw Thailand a couple of years ago in Australia have a go and be competitive. It’s only going to be better for women’s cricket, so I’m all for it.”

Jones agreed: “I loved the 20 teams in the men’s competition because it’s actually a World Cup then, not just a select few.

“That’s fantastic for the women’s game, but in doing that, you’ve still got to ensure that you’re putting in all the support mechanisms and scaffolding around those extra teams to ensure that in between World Cups, they’re getting all the support they can so that when they get to a World Cup, that gap isn’t as wide.”

Before heading to the UAE, Australia will face trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a three-match T20 series that gets underway at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena on Thursday.

“It’ll be the first time for us in a while playing together as a side,” Litchfield said.

“Hopefully we can now add some things to be raring to go for the World Cup.”

Australian women’s T20 squad

Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck

Australian women’s T20s vs New Zealand

All times AEST

Thursday, September 19th — 1st T20I at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena (7.10pm)

Sunday, September 22nd — 2nd T20I at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena (7.10pm)

Tuesday, September 24th — 3rd T20I at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field (7.10pm)