Cricket-Australia coach Mott backs Healy to find form at T20 World Cup

Matthew Mott, the head coach of the Australian women's cricket team, has shrugged off Alyssa Healy's dire form in the leadup to the T20 World Cup and backed the hard-hitting opener to perform when it counts. Wicketkeeper-batswoman Healy, the ICC's one-day and T20 Player of the Year in 2019, made just 15 runs in five matches during the recent tri-series against India and England.

Mott said he would not change anything about Healy's game before defending champions Australia bid for a record-extending fifth T20 World Cup title. "She plays a game that is high risk and it’s not going to come off all the time," Mott told reporters in Adelaide on Monday.

“If you want us to be fearless and all the things that we bang on about all the time, when you get out a couple of times you can’t try and reinvent the wheel." Australia play a final warmup against South Africa in Adelaide on Tuesday before kicking off the tournament against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

Healy dominated the 2018 tournament in West Indies, topping the batting charts with 225 runs at an average of 56.25. "She is not out there struggling at the moment,” Mott said.

"The good thing is, the main tournament is coming up (and) she delivered in the last World Cup just about every game. "So with quality players like that you have just got to keep backing them in because they can win you matches."