Australia Retain Shelley Nitschke as Women’s Coach Till 2029

Contract: 3-year extension announced May 2026, keeps Nitschke as head coach until June 2029. Tenure: Took over from Matthew Mott in 2022 on initial 4-year deal. Became interim coach May 2022, appointed full-time Sept 2022. Timing: Signed ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup in England. Nitschke took over from Matthew Mott after the 2022 ODI World Cup win and steered Australia to the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold and the 2023 T20 World Cup. Australia remain the No.1 ODI and T20I women's team in the world but they have not made the final of either of the last two global events. Major wins: Commonwealth Games gold 2022, T20 World Cup title 2023 in Cape Town. Ashes: Thrashed England 16-0 in Jan 2025 multi-format series. Rankings: Australia maintained No.1 in both ODI + T20I throughout her tenure. Motivation: “There’s also enormous motivation around what this group can accomplish in the years ahead”. But Nitschke has earned a three-year extension as she prepares to take Australia to the 2026 T20 World Cup with new captain Sophie Molineux. "​It's a privilege to continue coaching this team and working with such an outstanding group of players and staff," Nitschke said. ​"We've achieved a great deal together, but there's also enormous motivation around what this group can accomplish in the years ahead. Playing career: Former allrounder, 122 internationals, 153 wickets, 3,118 runs. Retired 2011 as world No.1 allrounder. Coaching path: Assistant from 2018, mentored spin group into “world’s leading bowlers”, interim 2022 Commonwealth Games. Bottom line: CA have backed Nitschke through to 2029, covering the Olympics, two T20 World Cups, and a Champions Trophy. After semi-final exits in the last two World Cups, her job is to evolve the side and add more silverware. "She is also successfully guiding a period of transition with some brilliant young players joining the team from the large pool of women and girls now participating in our game."