CWC 2025: Healy dissects turning point in Aussies’ thrilling win

After blasting a legacy-defining century to anchor Australia’s record run chase in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, skipper Alyssa Healy was full of praise for her bowlers, crediting them for ensuring India’s total never became unreachable.

India’s openers had given the hosts a dream start in Vizag, with Smriti Mandhana (80 off 66) and the promising Pratika Rawal (75 off 96) putting on a 155-run stand for the first wicket. But Annabel Sutherland’s five-wicket haul (5/40) pulled Australia back into the contest, setting up the platform for Healy’s masterclass, a breathtaking 142 off just 107 deliveries, that sealed victory with an over to spare.

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“I thought we did really well to hang in there with the ball,” Healy said post-game. “Oddly restrict them to 330, which sounds a little bit crazy, but that’s the way it is. I think we got our length right … I think Alana King and Annabel Sutherland actually created a little bit of a partnership there. (They) created some pressure, created some opportunities, and then (Sutherland) cashed in at her end. So that was really cool.

“And I thought the bowling unit as a whole really hung in there, hung tough and created a whole heap in that back 10 to restrict them, in a way, to 330, which is a little bit daunting, but did a great job at the back end, which was cool.”

Healy also credited the solid start she and opener Phoebe Litchfield (40) provided, with valuable middle-order contributions from Ellyse Perry (47 not out) and Ashleigh Gardner (45). “Probably something we haven’t quite done thus far in this World Cup is to set a platform in the first 10,” Healy said.

“Phoebe and I were able to do that, which was cool. I think it needed somebody to make 100 to chase down that total. Obviously, you’d probably like two to make 100 just to make it easy, but somebody needed to, if they got set to cash in and have a good day. It hasn’t been my day of late, but it was my day today, which was really cool.

“But I thought the wicket played beautifully. We played it to our strengths, I think, early, which is straight back down the ground. They bowled quite straight. We played straight, trying to limit our dismissals in that regard, and we’re able to pull off something pretty special. So overall, great day. I thought it was an amazing game of cricket, and hopefully everyone really enjoyed it.”

With the win, Australia remain unbeaten and all but through to the semi-finals. They will next face Bangladesh on Thursday.