Georgia Voll’s rise to No.1 in the ICC women’s T20I batting list has been almost as quick as her scoring rate, yet the 22-year-old still struggles to believe the numbers. Twelve internationals in, a maiden hundred against West Indies behind her, and she has nudged team-mate Beth Mooney off top spot. All very flattering, Voll admits, but she’s not convinced it makes her the best.
“I haven’t played many games for Australia, so I’m not sure how I’m up there to be honest,” she said this week. “Really it’s just numbers next to your name. I wouldn’t say I am the best batter in the world, that’s for sure.”
Those numbers are striking, though: 39.50 average, 156 strike-rate, two centuries across the white-ball formats and a run of 13 consecutive matches since Christmas. For context, only Charlotte Edwards climbed to No.1 quicker, and that was back when T20 internationals were still finding their feet.
Key facts first
• Voll became the ICC’s top-ranked T20I batter after her 63-ball century in Antigua.
• She has reached the mark in 12 matches; the previous quickest this century was Stafanie Taylor (26).
• Australia head to England in June seeking to regain the T20 World Cup after last year’s semi-final defeat. Voll is pencilled in to open throughout.
Why it has happened so fast
Regular cricket, Voll reckons, is the main reason. “When you’re in and out of a side it’s hard to get that time in the middle and consistency you like,” she said. A run of selection across ODIs, T20Is and a one-off Test has given her rhythm; being promoted to open in both limited-overs formats has handed her clarity. Batters often talk about ‘ownership’ of a role – Voll sounds like she has it already. “Feeling comfortable with the role of getting us off to a good start has held me in good stead over the past couple of games.”
Coaches also point to her uncomplicated technique: minimal footwork, stable base, strong wrists. “She hits in straight lines, so there’s less to go wrong,” one high-performance coach noted off-record. The risk, of course, is that opponents have more footage now. Voll accepts that reality: “There is always room to improve, and I have a few things I want to tinker with and work on because people are always going to work you out.”
Looking ahead
Australia’s next assignment is the final ODI against West Indies in St Kitts on Thursday, then a brief break before World Cup prep begins in Brisbane. Voll is almost certain to bat through that campaign, effectively succeeding Alyssa Healy at the top. The expectation is there, yet she sounds determined to keep the conversation on runs rather than rankings.
“It’s a nice recognition, but it’s not something I pay a lot of attention to. The main priority for me is to score runs for Australia and get our team off to a good start.”
If she keeps doing that, the numbers – like them or not – will take care of themselves.
