Tag: alyssa-healy

Four years ago, she was a middle order bat, and not doing all that well at it.¹ Thankfully, head coach Matthew Mott and assistant coach Tim Coyle decided to give her a go as an opener in 2017-18, and maybe it was their belief in her that helped, because at the time the Australian team had eight players who opened for their respective WBBL teams.²

And her numbers tell a story:¹

Format	Period/ Role	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
ODI	Middle Order (2010–2016)	52	830	15.96	85.0
ODI	Opening (2017–2025)	68	2,470	35.40	100.07
ODI	As Captain (2023–2025)	27	900	33.33	95.2
T20I	Middle Order (2010–2016)	80	1,395	17.44	112.0
T20I	Opening (2017–2025)	82	1,660	24.25	127.60
T20I	As Captain (2023–2025)	25	600	24.00	125.00
Test	Middle Order (Early Career)	6	200	33.33	45.0
Test	Opening (Recent)	4	289	40.14	60.5
Test	As Captain (2023–2025)	4	150	37.50	55.0

So that’s 120 ODIs (3,303 runs at 97.90 strike rate), 162 T20Is (3,054 runs at 129.79 strike rate), and 10 Tests (489 runs).¹ 

The statistical contrast between Healy’s middle-order years and her opening career comes packaged with multiple record breaking innings: In 2019, her unbeaten 148 (off 61) against Sri Lanka set the world record for the highest individual score in women’s T20Is.³ In the 2020–21 Women’s Big Bash League, Healy struck 111 off 52 balls for the Sydney Sixers against the Melbourne Stars, featuring 14 fours and four sixes, then an unbeaten 100 in a chase of 176 in 2022.⁴

Her record in ICC finals is mind boggling:

1. In the 2020 T20 World Cup final at the MCG, her 75 off 39 balls in front of 86,174 spectators was transformational for women’s cricket. The innings featured the fastest fifty in an ICC final by any player, male or female, achieved in just 30 balls with a strike rate of 192.30. This was the record across formats at the time, and she broke multiple Indians along the way for it- the record used to belong to Hardik Pandya before this display, and she scored the runs against us. Of course she did.⁵
2. But big players routinely do big things. She then made 170 off 138 balls against England broke Adam Gilchrist’s record for the highest individual score in any World Cup final.⁶ This was also her return to form and her first century as captain.

And now, Healy’s 142 off 107 balls against India in the ongoing World Cup created history as Australia achieved the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history at 331 runs. I’d ask why us, but really, it’s all her.⁷

She also holds the record for most dismissals by any wicketkeeper in T20I cricket, with 92 dismissals (42 catches and 50 stumpings, MS Dhoni has the most for men, 91⁸). So far, she’s kept in 99 T20Is, the most for any cricketer, male or female.¹

Indian cricket fans know world cup heart break a little too well, mostly thanks to Australians like Healy, so we can appreciate how freaking clutch she is. But it extends beyond her individual performances- she’s also a pretty impressive captain: 43 wins from 56 matches across formats at 78.18%. In ODIs specifically, she stands at 84.61% wins, with 22 victories from 27 matches.⁹ Under her leadership, Australia has maintained their status as cricket’s most dominant team, and now has an extraordinary winning record: 12 consecutive World Cup wins since 2022.⁹

Her genius and resilience has fundamentally changed Australia’s approach, which means she is shaping cricket itself. As usual, Alyssa Healy is the difference.

Sources

1. Alyssa Healy – Cricket Player Australia
2. Pressure for spots helping Healy thrive | cricket.com.au
3. Healy plunders T20I world record with 148
4. Alyssa Healy powers Sixers to easy win in WBBL opener
5. ESPNcricinfo Awards 2020 Women’s batting winner
6. Alyssa Healy breaks Adam Gilchrist’s world record with 170-run knock
7. Australia v India Women’s World Cup report, scores, highlights
8. Alyssa Healy breaks MS Dhoni’s record of most dismissals by wicket keeper in T20Is
9. Alyssa Healy Captaincy Record in ODI, T20I, Test & WPL