150 players from 10 countries to feature at Women's T20 WC

Melbourne : Ten countries, which consist of 150 players, will be battling it out to reach the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 8, with Australia and India getting the Women's T20 World Cup action underway when they meet at the Sydney Showground on February 21.

This year's tournament will be the seventh edition of the T20 World Cup to be played, with 14 players set to continue their record of playing in every event since the inaugural competition 11 years ago.

One team will also be making history in the tournament, with Thailand qualifying for an ICC event for the very first time, giving all 15 of their players debuts on the global stage.

Australia go into their curtain-raiser with India as defending champions, and there's a familiar look to their squad with 13 of the 15 having lifted the trophy two years ago.

Among them is Ellyse Perry, who boasts the honour of having appeared in all 32 of Australia's matches in the tournament since making her breakthrough as a teenager in 2009.

Sophie Molineux, who took a break from the game during this season's WBBL for mental health reasons, is included in Meg Lanning's side, as is Annabel Sutherland, who made her debut in the recent tri-series with India and England.

India can likewise call upon an ever-present in their ranks, with Harmanpreet Kaur set to lead the team having done so in the West Indies two years ago.

Opener Smriti Mandhana is named her deputy, while 16-year-old Shafali Verma has been selected having impressed in the T20 Challenger Trophy.

Fellow Group A members New Zealand welcome Lea Tahuhu back to the squad, with the fast bowler and new mum taking time away from cricket having had her first child with teammate Amy Satterthwaite.

The squad will be led by the veteran Sophie Devine who, along with fellow White Fern, Suzie Bates, has featured in every T20 World Cup since its inception.

Their opening match will come on February 22 against Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Atapattu, with more than half of their squad reprising their positions from the last World Cup in the West Indies.