Power-packed Oz favourites to rewrite history as eves’ cricket WC begins today

Australia have plenty of motivation to become the first team to win consecutive Women's Cricket World Cups since 1988, and a powerhouse squad to achieve the feat.

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The defending champions have long dominated the 50-over game, winning seven of the 12 World Cups since the tournament was first played in 1973. They were runners-up on two other occasions.

No team other than Australia has successfully defended the World Cup. They won three on the trot between 1978-88, but that was 37 years ago.

Vice captain Tahlia McGrath said snapping the back-to-back drought when they pad up in India and Sri Lanka was a key driver.

Erasing bitter memories of being knocked out in the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year, when they were three-time defending champions, will also spur them on.

"An ODI World Cup is special, they're probably the pinnacle," McGrath told reporters.

"For the players that were in Dubai (in 2024) it adds that bit of motivation, not a nice feeling the way we exited.