A “disappointed” Alyssa Healy has confessed that Australia “let themselves down” in all three facets of the game during Thursday’s World Cup semi-final against India, branding the team’s performance as “un-Australian.” The match, held at DY Patil Stadium, saw India end Australia’s 15-match World Cup winning streak by chasing a record 339-run target with nine balls to spare. Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the show, hitting a career-best 127 not out.
This defeat marks the first time since 2017 that Australia’s women’s team is not in possession of either World Cup trophy. “Ultimately, we just weren’t sharp enough today in all three facets to give ourselves the opportunity to win that semi-final,” a dejected Healy confessed during the post-match press conference. She added, “Not taking anything away from the Indian performance, (but) there’s an element of we let ourselves down a little bit.”
Australia’s Missed Opportunities
Australia’s performance was marred by missed opportunities, notably Healy’s dropped catch when Rodrigues was on 82. “I just think we dished up a little bit too much junk to hit at times, and also just didn’t capitalize on the opportunities that we did create,” Healy continued. “It feels a little bit un-Australian to not be as clinical as we normally are, and knowing how well we’ve played this World Cup.”
Despite being unbeaten during the group stage, Australia found themselves in tricky situations throughout the tournament. They had previously dug themselves out of a collapse to 7-76 against Pakistan in Colombo and chased a 331-run target against India in Visakhapatnam, which was at the time a record in women’s ODIs.
Implications for Women’s Cricket
Healy acknowledged the broader impact of the result on women’s cricket in India, as the Asian powerhouse is set to face South Africa in Sunday’s final. Neither nation has won a Women’s World Cup title before. “To see a new winner is going to do wonders for the game,” Healy said. “To see how well it’s been supported here in India is great, for them to have an opportunity to play in front of home fans for an ODI World Cup final is going to be really special.”
Healy expressed hope that the outcome would lead to greater investment in women’s cricket globally. “Hopefully we see it do great things for the global game, and more investment in these great nations moving forwards,” she added.
Looking Ahead
Australian coach Shelley Nitschke admitted the result was “disappointing” but clarified there was no need for “panic stations” in the national set-up. “We’ve been playing some really good cricket, not just this tournament, in the last 12 months,” Nitschke said. “We’re always going to review and look to get better, and we need to be better in the big moments.”
Despite the setback, Nitschke remains optimistic about the team’s future. “I still think we’ve got some growth to go, and I’m actually looking forward to where we can go. We just weren’t good enough when it counted tonight,” she concluded.
As Australia reflects on their performance, the cricketing world turns its eyes to the upcoming final, anticipating the crowning of a new champion. The match promises to be a pivotal moment for women’s cricket, potentially inspiring a new generation of players and fans alike.
