In-form Healy looms as WT20 X-factor

Alyssa Healy is heading to the World T20 in the form of her life after capping off a brilliant tour of Malaysia with a match-winning half-century on Monday.

Healy smashed an unbeaten 67 from just 41 deliveries to seal a T20 series whitewash for Australia against Pakistan in Kuala Lumpur, her fourth half-century from her last five matches in the format.

Combined with the 59 from 35 she scored in the series opener, it was enough to see Healy named player of the T20 series.

The 28-year-old had already been crowned the best player of the ODI series against Pakistan, having posted knocks of 26, 16 and 97.

"No idea," Healy laughed when asked for the secret behind her form following Monday's match.

"I'm just really enjoying my cricket at the moment, I enjoyed a really good pre-season at home and it felt like I'd matured a little bit.

"Taking over the Breakers captaincy, I think that's helped me in a few different little areas."

In the past 12 months, the wicketkeeper-batter has scored 401 runs at 30.84 in T20Is, second only to fellow opener Beth Mooney, and 875 runs in total across both limited-overs formats – more than any other Australian player.

Heading into the home T20I series against New Zealand in September, Healy had scored just two T20 half-centuries in 75 innings since debuting in 2010 and had gone 48 innings without passing fifty.

Now she boasts six half-centuries in total, having posted knocks of 57 and 67 against the White Ferns – and is thriving at the top of the order alongside Mooney.

With Healy and Mooney boasting T20 strike rates of 138.75 and 137.79 respectively across that period, they form one of the most potent opening partnership in the game.

"I'm just really enjoying coming out here and opening the batting for Australia," Healy said.

"I don't think there's too many better things to do in the world, so I'm just trying to cash in where I can and hopefully put the team in positions to win games."

Australia's World T20 campaign will begin in Guyana – also against Pakistan – on November 9 and Healy is poised to play a pivotal role in her team's hopes of securing the trophy.

She's one of only four members of Australia's 15-player squad to have previously played in the Caribbean, having been part of a successful World T20 campaign in 2010 and is one of the most experienced of the current crop of players, with only Ellyse Perry having played more 20-over internationals.

Australia's 15-player World T20 squad will fly directly to the Caribbean on Tuesday to continue their preparations for the ICC tournament.

Their first destination is Antigua – which is hosting the tournament finals – for a warm-up game against England on November 3.

From there, they'll travel to Guyana for a second warm-up against South Africa, ahead of their first group match on November 9.

CommBank Tour of Malaysia

Australia T20 & World T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan T20 squad: Javeria Khan (c), Bibi Nahida, Ayesha Zafar, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Sidra Amin, Omaima Sohail, Nida Rashid, Sidra Nawaz, Sana Mir, Nashra Sundhu, Anum Amin, Natalia Parvaiz, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Aiman Anwar

October 25: Australia won the first T20I by 64 runs

October 27: Australia won the second T20I by six wickets

October 29: Third T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval

2018 ICC Women's World T20  

November 9: Australia v Pakistan, Province Stadium, Guyana

November 11: Australia v Ireland, Province Stadium

November 13: Australia v New Zealand, Province Stadium

November 17: Australia v India, Province Stadium

November 22: Semi-finals, Sir Vivian Richards Ground, Antigua

November 24: Final, Sir Vivian Richards Ground