Big Bash gains lead Garth's surge into Aussie T20 XI

2h ago Laura Jolly, in Cardiff

Kim Garth is boosting her chances of a maiden T20 World Cup game in Aussie colours after a strong start to 2026 with the ball

How the Power Surge helped Garth lock in T20I spot

If Kim Garth takes the new ball in Australia's opening T20 World Cup match against South Africa in Manchester on Saturday, it will mark a significant – and somewhat surprising – milestone in the Irish-turned-Australian quick's career.

Garth did her hopes of seeing her name on that team sheet no harm on Monday, starring in Australia's five-wicket warm-up win over England in Cardiff, taking 1-19 from three overs.

Aussies cruise against England to make early World Cup statement

That included the key scalp of opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge with her third delivery, while Garth then allowed just five runs off the 18th over against the run of play as Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson accelerated.

Since debuting in the green and gold in December 2022, Garth has cemented herself as a key member of Australia's one-day attack but has only more recently flourished into a regular fixture in the T20I side.

It means that despite being part of Australia's squads in 2023 and 2024, she has yet to play a T20I World Cup match for her adopted team.

But a standout Weber WBBL|11 campaign for the Melbourne Stars proved the impetus Garth needed to demand more regular opportunities in the shortest format at international level, as the 30-year-old transformed herself from a Powerplay specialist into a better equipped bowler across all phases.

Australia find freedom in hunt for T20 World Cup title

Having played just 10 out of 42 T20Is between late 2022 and the end of 2025, Garth has featured in five out of six T20Is in 2026 to be Australia's best performing quick across that brief span, taking four wickets and maintaining an economy rate of 5.93.

"It's probably a confidence thing – a bit more regular playing time in this (Australian) team, which is obviously so hard to break into and stay in," Garth said following Monday's warm-up win over England.

"I think I've (gained) a lot of confidence and probably a lot of that has come from the Big Bash, to be fair.

"Then I played those T20s against India at home (in February) – I played a role there with the new ball, but also the death stuff, which I have been working on a lot over the kind of the past 12 to 18 months.

"As much as I love taking the new ball, having a bit more opportunity with the older ball as well has been really pleasing, and it was nice to bowl an important over at the back end there (today)."

4-3! Every ball of Kim Garth's destructive spell

Garth was named in the WBBL|11 team of the tournament after taking 14 wickets at 16.5 for the Stars, including her devastating new-ball burst of 4-3 against Sydney Sixers at North Sydney Oval.

Looking back on that campaign, however, Garth said it was the opportunity to bowl across other phases – notably in the Power Surge, where Powerplay fielding restrictions apply to a two-over period between overs 10-20 – that had yielded the biggest rewards.

"I think the Power Surge in the Big Bash has given me a lot of clarity with that death role," Garth said.

"I haven't done a lot of death stuff in this (Australian) team, so having the Surge in the Big Bash when there's set batters, and you can only have two (fielders) out, you've just got to be really clear at the top of your mark.

"I think that certainly helped coming into this team and playing a similar role."

ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson