Lanning hails 'perfect' World Cup preparation

Australia captain Meg Lanning has labelled her team's far-from-flawless lead-in to the T20 World Cup as the 'perfect' preparation for the ICC tournament.

Now, she is just ready for the 'big stuff' to start.

The defending champions have been pushed to varying degrees in the six matches they have played this month, beaten twice – once each by England and India – during the CommBank T20I Tri-Series, which they ultimately won thanks to a gritty fightback with the ball in the final.

On Tuesday, they overcome a top-order collapse to defeat South Africa by four wickets in Tuesday's warm-up in Adelaide.

There remain some questions surrounding the form of the leading batters – the struggles of Alyssa Healy, who has yet to reach double figures in six games, have been well documented, while others including Ellyse Perry (96 runs at 16) and Ashleigh Gardner (187 at 27.8, with one knock of 93) and Lanning herself (123 at 24.6), have been patchy across the same period.

But Lanning said she would much prefer to have been pushed than to have cruised through to this point, particularly given her side was rarely tested in series against West Indies and Sri Lanka through the second half of 2019.

"It's been the perfect preparation, I don't think we could have asked for much more," Lanning said on Tuesday.

"We've come up against three really good sides now and they're all very different.

"That's been the biggest thing for us, being able to adapt to the different teams.

"We've been tested … and there's a lot of confidence within the group.

"We couldn't have asked for more, really. We've been put under the pump in different situations both batting and bowling first, and we've been able to respond really well.

"We're as ready as we can be, now it's just about going out and putting it on the park."

Australia will meet India in the World Cup opener at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday night.

Alongside Australia and India in Group A is New Zealand, who are led by new captain Sophie Devine with the allrounder enjoying a career-best run with the bat having struck five consecutive T20I half-centuries; as well as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu issued a timely reminder that even the less-favoured sides cannot afford to be taken lightly when she picked up 3-21 and smacked a match-winning 78no to stun world No.2 England in Tuesday's second warm-up game in Adelaide.

Her 50-ball knock guided Sri Lanka home by 10 wickets, reaching their target of 123 in just 12.3 overs.

Lanning's team was voted the side to beat by six of the nine opposing captains at Monday's tournament launch in Sydney, but their skipper knows it will not be an easy road to advance to the semi-finals at the SCG on March 5.

"It's a hard pool," Lanning said.

"Obviously India and New Zealand are the big games for us but we can't take the other teams lightly.

"I think it's great we've got a very hard test first up with India. It's a very short and sharp tournament so you can't really take your foot off the pedal."

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

February 21:Australia v India, Sydney Showgrounds

February 24: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Ground

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia's matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network