Will Alyssa Healy retire from WODIs following World Cup upset?
What's the story
Australian women's cricket team captain Alyssa Healy has hinted at her retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs) after Australia's shocking semi-final defeat to India in the Women's World Cup. The match, held at D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, saw India chase down a record target of 339 runs, ending Australia's reign as defending champions. Here are further details.
Match highlights
India stun Australia in WC semis
Healy returned from injury to lead Australia in the knockout clash. However, her dropped catch of Jemimah Rodrigues when she was on 82 turned out to be a pivotal moment in the match. Jemimah went on to score an unbeaten 127, leading India to victory with nine balls remaining. Australia's innings saw Phoebe Litchfield score a sublime 119 and Ellyse Perry a fluent 77, setting up what looked like another march to the final.
Post-match reflections
Healy reflects on Australia's journey in the tournament
After the match, Healy expressed disappointment at not being able to capitalize on created opportunities. She said, "I think everyone contributed beautifully throughout this tournament. That's why it's really disappointing to be standing here right now." Despite the loss, Healy remained optimistic about Australia's future in cricket. She said, "When you've seen players my age walk away, it's kind of a weird experience to watch the next generation go about it."
Future prospects
'I won't be there'
When asked about her return for the next ODI World Cup cycle, Healy said, "I won't be there." She added that a T20 World Cup is coming up in the middle of next year and it's an exciting time for their group. Healy's words suggest the end of a golden ODI career during which she scored 3,563 runs at an average of nearly 36 with seven centuries and 18 fifties.