Australia Awaiting Ashleigh Gardner’s Availability for Second T20I Against NZ

Australia will wait until Sunday to assess whether star allrounder Ashleigh Gardner is fit to play in the second T20I against New Zealand in Mackay. Gardner missed the series opener due to a collision with teammate Georgia Wareham.

Although she wasn’t diagnosed with a concussion, Gardner was held out of the first match as a precaution given her history with head injuries. She trained with the team on Saturday morning and will continue to be monitored.

Wareham, who participated in Thursday’s match, showed no signs of concussion and also trained without any issues.

Australia is aiming for a series-clinching win on Sunday after their five-wicket victory in the first game.

Beth Mooney, who will play her 100th T20I on Sunday, reflected on the team’s performance in the opener, highlighting areas for improvement. “It was a good game for us, but not a great one,” Mooney told cricket.com.au. “We’re looking to sharpen up every aspect of our game, including getting off to a better start with the bat and tidying up with the ball.”

New Zealand set a score of 140 in the first match, which Mooney considered below par. “They might have been a few runs short, so we’ll need to adjust if they come out aggressively tomorrow,” she added.

With the T20 World Cup in the UAE approaching, Australia is treating this series as vital preparation, followed by warm-up matches against England and the West Indies in Dubai. Their first World Cup game is against Sri Lanka on October 5.

Mooney emphasized the significance of the series, stating, “It’s a great opportunity for us to try different strategies and really nail down the style of play we’ve been discussing.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine’s participation in the second game remains uncertain as she recovers from an ankle injury sustained during The Hundred. The White Ferns are taking a cautious approach with their star player ahead of the T20 World Cup.