World Cup depth check as Aussies use nine bowlers

The Blundstone Arena sprinkler system switching on minutes before the first ball of Thursday's second T20I against Pakistan was not the only moment that had some scratching their heads.

But there was a definite method behind Meg Lanning's use of all nine bowlers in her XI, with the Australia skipper keen to put her depth to the test ahead of next month's T20 World Cup in South Africa.

It was just the seventh time nine bowlers have been used by a team in a women's T20I, with only Lanning and wicketkeeper Beth Mooney not rolling their arms over.

Of the nine, Megan Schutt – fresh off a five-wicket haul in Tuesday's series opener – sent down one over and Ellyse Perry, who took two key wickets in that game in Sydney, delivered a maiden and did not return.

Instead, Annabel Sutherland bowled her full quota of four overs for the first time in a T20I, for impressive figures of 1-15, and Grace Harris bowled in an international game for the first time since 2016, also picking up a wicket.

Lanning also threw players into less familiar scenarios; Ashleigh Gardner opened the bowling alongside express quick Darcie Brown, while Sutherland joined Jess Jonassen at the death.

Australia's plethora of allrounders means they typically have 6-8 options in any given T20I XI; the absence of Alyssa Healy from this series has only increased that number.

"It was just about getting some overs into some players, people bowling in different roles," Tahlia McGrath explained after Australia sealed an eight-wicket win.

"It's pretty cool that Meg can use a (nine) different bowlers, everyone stood up and bowled really well today and everyone's so versatile and can bowl in different phases.

"So it's a good thing and a bad thing for Meg, I would say, having that many options.

"Then with the players on the sideline as well, they can come in and play a role and that's a real strength of ours, is the depth of the amount of roles we can play and how much the strength we have as a whole squad.

"So we go into that World Cup full of confidence and knowing that everyone knows their role pretty well, and it can change at any time for any given player."

Australia and Pakistan will meet in one final T20I at Manuka Oval on Sunday with the series having already been decided after the hosts took an unassailable 2-0 on Thursday.

But McGrath said there were still aspects of their game Australia wanted to define in their last match before they fly out to South Africa next Tuesday, following the Australian Cricket Awards on Monday.

With three players yet to take the field this series – Kim Garth, Georgia Wareham and Heather Graham – there could also be the potential of changes to the bowling attack to give the trio an opportunity.

"We're looking to trial a few things," she said.

"As a bowling group, we've discussed a few things ... you want to practice your B, plan C, be ready for when you're going to need it, when there's a player absolutely teeing off.

"But other than that, we're really happy with the cricket we're playing, to just keep maintaining those standards and putting good performances on the board."

CommBank T20I Series

Tuesday Jan 24: Australia won by eight wickets

Thursday Jan 26: Australia won by eight wickets

Sunday Jan 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 1:45pm

Buy #AUSvPAK T20 tickets here

Australia T20I squad: Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan T20I squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan