In one of the most enthralling matches of the ICC Women’s World Cup, Australia chased down a mammoth target of 331 to beat India by three wickets with an over to spare. Captain Alyssa Healy led from the front with a breathtaking 142 off 107 deliveries, steering her team to the highest successful chase in Women’s World Cup history.
India, after being put into bat, posted 330 on the board, a total that looked more than competitive given the humid conditions and the nature of the surface. But Healy’s commanding knock, backed by Ellyse Perry’s 47 and Ashleigh Gardner’s 45, turned the contest into a statement of intent from the defending champions.
Reflecting on the innings in the post-match press conference, Healy admitted that batting after keeping for 50 overs was tough, but her focus was purely on executing the chase.
“To be completely honest, after eight or nine overs with the ball in hand, I thought, ‘Oh, what have I done?’ thinking we will be chasing a big total, the two openers looked really set. We did really well to hang in there with the ball, restricting them to 330, which sounds a little bit crazy but that’s how it is, the wicket played beautifully, we played it to our strengths early,” she said.
Healy added that one of the goals was to set a solid platform, something the team hadn’t managed earlier in the tournament. “First and foremost, you’ve got to get off to a good start, probably, something we haven’t quite done thus far in this World Cup is set a platform in the first ten… It sounds easy but doing it over 50 overs isn’t the easiest thing. We managed to chase really well; I think the start enabled us to chase really well.”
When asked whether Australia had targeted India’s pace duo, Healy clarified that there wasn’t a strict plan but rather an instinctive approach. “There wasn’t a distinct plan as such. Charani was getting quite a lot of spin, she was the pick of the bowlers, and we identified that really well and thought if we could capitalize on the pace bowlers, it would be handy,” she explained.
Healy also heaped praise on Annabel Sutherland, who picked up crucial wickets in the latter half of India’s innings, finishing with 5/40 on her birthday. “Belsy’s (Annabel Sutherland) spell we got out lengths right in that department… Alana King and Annabel Sutherland, they created a little bit of a partnership there, created some pressure, created some opportunities and Belsy cashed in at her end.”
This knock marked Healy’s sixth ODI century, and her first as captain. When asked whether leading the side added pressure, she said the focus was simply on contributing to the team. “It didn’t feel too different. I was just trying to contribute. It needed somebody to make a hundred to chase down that total… It was my day in the end, it hasn’t been my day of late, but it was my day which was really cool. Would have liked to bat a little bit longer and probably see it home a little bit more.”
At 150 without loss, India looked set for 360-plus, but Healy revealed she believed conditions might even out later in the day. “Sometimes as captain, you hang on to your life a little bit and just try the best you can to stem the flow of runs… The ball was sliding on even in the daytime, which is quite unique. Took a little bit of turn, so I actually think it was a really good cricket wicket.”
The skipper said the team discussed past experiences against India at the innings break and took confidence from them. “At the break, we spoke about how we’ve posted 300 and even 400 against India before. We knew we could do it; it was just about doing it under pressure. This chase gives us great confidence going forward.”
Healy’s innings wasn’t just another hundred, it was a captain’s statement. From a scratchy start to an unforgettable century, the Australian skipper proved why she remains one of the most impactful players in world cricket.
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