Australian officials insist there is a path back to international cricket for Jess Jonassen after the experienced player was left out of the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup. Jonassen was the most prominent omission from Australia’s 15-man squad on Monday, with the defending champion injury-free and a full complement for the tournament in the UAE.

Alyssa Healy will captain Australia to a World Cup for the first time, while spinner Sophie Molineux and speedy Tayla Vlaeminck return after long injury layoffs. All-rounders Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Alana King have also been named, making a total of four spinners in the squad.

But there was no room for Jonassen, who has won five T20 World Cups with Australia since her debut in 2012.

“Jess Jonassen is unlucky again not to be involved,” said chief selector Shawn Flegler. “But we are impressed with how she has come back and we will continue to monitor her form ahead of the home game in the summer.”

Jonassen, 31, who was dropped from the squad for a tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, has made a strong case for recall with his impressive performances in the WPL and Hundred.

“The path is still there, the door is still wide open,” said captain Healy. “Look at her career and how she’s developed over the last four or five years. She’s been in the squad, she’s been out of the squad.”

“I’m a little disappointed for Jono myself. I know how much she can contribute in big tournaments and how powerful she can be. I still see a great future for her in the Australian team.”

Phoebe Litchfield has been nominated for her first World Cup event and Healy said it was more likely that the young woman would end up in the middle stroke load as she and Beth Mooney were not expected to change.

“Our starting position hasn’t really changed over the last few World Championships,” Healy said. “Hopefully the captain can do some runs alongside Beth Mooney because she does them just for fun.”

“I dare say the opening partnership will not change. It will be more like what the middle order looks like.”

Flegler said Litchfield was “a real X-factor” within an experienced team, while the speedy duo of Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown would make “a real difference” to the team.

Australia have never played in the UAE before and are unsure what to expect in terms of wickets, but Healy said there could be room for both quicks in the same XI.

“I’d love to see it,” Healy said. “We’re so blessed to have a lot of all-rounders in our team that I think we can experiment a bit with our fast bowling attack. Having those two in the team makes a big difference. In the conditions we’re likely to have, pace is potentially a real advantage.”

The same team will face New Zealand in the three-match T20 series in Queensland next month before playing their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on October 4.