Australia’s Healy Faces India’s Challenge with Confidence in 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup

Australia’s loss to India in the 2017 World Cup semifinal marked a pivotal moment not only in the nation’s cricket history but also in Alyssa Healy’s career. The Women in Blue defeated the reigning champions by 36 runs in Derby, prompting Australia to reassess their strategy and leading to Healy’s promotion up the batting order. This change elevated her game and solidified her position in the team.

“I’ve forgotten a lot about that game, but it’s often replayed on television, so the memory is refreshed,” Healy remarked with a smile. “It pushed us to revisit our standards and our approach to cricket.”

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“For me, it was a personal turning point, allowing me to open the batting in the Ashes series post-World Cup. This has been my position since then. It made the team reconsider our methods and improve them.”

Eight years after that event, Healy feels that India, a ‘sleeping giant’ in women’s cricket, has finally awakened, largely due to the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

“The rivalry is growing. India has long been a dormant force in women’s cricket. Since the introduction of the WPL, they’ve realized their depth and adopted a distinct style of play, especially in this format, which is impressive,” she observed.

A full house is anticipated at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with India eager to recover from their defeat to South Africa. Healy expressed excitement about playing before sold-out stands and stated there was no increased pressure in facing the host nation in the World Cup.

“There’s no extra pressure on our team. We’ve come here with a clear goal, which remains unchanged. It will be a fun experience for us all. I’ve heard it’s sold out, which is exciting, and hopefully, there will be a few Aussie supporters in the crowd,” she commented.

Published on October 11, 2025