Bowling all-rounder Sophie Molineux has been named Australia Women’s captain for all formats. The 28-year-old spinner has played a crucial part in the team’s white-ball cricket and will take the lead of the team alongside vice-captain Tahlia McGrath. Her appointment comes ahead of Australia’s multi-format series against India, followed by the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled in England and Wales from June to July 2026.
After battling a stress fracture in the foot followed by a knee injury, Molineux remained on the sidelines including the team’s 2022 Ashes success and the Women’s Premier League 2025, including the ongoing season. Meanwhile, she returned to the squad for the ODI World Cup held in India, but managed to play a few matches.
With 58 caps for Australia Women, Molineux has played in 38 WT20Is in which she has picked up 41 wickets at an average of 18.68 and scored 58 runs. Meanwhile, in 17WODIs, she took 31 wickets and scored 96 runs. In the three test matches played for Australia Women, she picked up seven wickets and amassed 97 runs.
The spinner has also been active on the domestic front as part of the WBBL (Women’s Big Bash League), Women’s 100, and WPL (Women’s Premier League) tournaments.
In the 2025 season, Molineux played for just four matches in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, where she scored just 32 runs at a strike rate of 82.05 and claimed eight wickets at an average of 24.50. Meanwhile, in the six WBBL matches played for Melbourne Renegades, she took three wickets at an average of 51.00 and scored 96 runs at a strike rate of 109.09.
Molineux will replace Alyssa Healy in the captaincy role, who has announced her retirement from all formats after the conclusion of their multi-format series against India, scheduled from February to March. With just four months left for the T20 World Cup 2026, Healy won’t be part of the T20 squad, but her contribution to the team has been influential as one of the notable batters and finest wicketkeepers in women’s cricket.
Healy took Australia Women’s captaincy in 2023 after Meg Lanning’s retirement. Under her captaincy, the team clean-swept England by 16-0 in the multi-format Ashes tournament. Besides that, the team made it to the semi-finals in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and the 2025 Women’s World Cup.
