Litchfield confident ahead of third season as Thunder captain
Litchfield returns from injury with a stronger squad and renewed belief that Thunder can reach the finals after last season's seventh-place finish.
Phoebe Litchfield enters her third season as Sydney Thunder captain in WBBL|12 after being appointed at age 21 in 2024. She missed Australia's recent ODI against Bangladesh and T20I against New Zealand with a hip complaint but said she feels super confident about returning to full fitness.
Litchfield noted the team is one year wiser after finishing seventh and missing the WBBL|11 finals. She said the current squad depth allows batters to play with ultimate freedom and that the batting order will be adjusted because it will be tough to fit everyone in. Hannah Darlington returns from a leg injury while Lucy Finn has signed a full contract.
Heather Knight joins the Thunder for her final WBBL season and Anika Learoyd is in contention for a higher batting position after strong Australia A performances. Litchfield said the squad is one of the strongest the franchise has assembled. Thunder won their WBBL|12 opener with three overs remaining.
CricHubb Take
Knight's presence in her farewell season gives Thunder a proven finisher who can also mentor younger batters, an advantage few other WBBL sides possess this year.