Australia have seen their already slim chances of a successful World Cup campaign severely dented. Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of the pivotal game against England with a calf injury. Unfortunately, this news comes just a little over a week before finals begin. Moving forward, the team will have to tread a treacherous road without one of their most valuable players.
Healy, 34, injured her quad muscle in Saturday’s pre-race warm-up, yet another unfortunate occurrence in what has otherwise been a stellar career. Needless to say, the wicketkeeper-batter has found her way back into form. Last week alone, she validated her talent with a match-winning 142 against India and an unbeaten 113 against Bangladesh. Her leadership and contributions to the team left an indelible mark. Australia now needed to gear up for their semi-finals, where they were all set to take on the host country, India.
Ellyse Perry, a teammate, emphasized Healy’s importance to the squad, stating, “She’s pretty used to playing very strong cricket in World Cups.” Perry further noted the positive impact Healy had on the team, saying, “The form she is in and the way she is giving to the group across the board, it seems like she is certainly invigorated.”
Unfortunately for Healy, her injury could not have come at a more infuriating time. This time last year she was missing the semi-final of the Twenty20 World Cup after picking up a foot injury. On top of that, chronic foot and knee ailments limited her whole summer campaign. As Healy overcame these adversities, her focus and determination never wavered from getting back on the competitive floor. Her absence from the game, however, has relit a fire inside her that she says has prepared her for the World Cup and the summer ahead.
As Australia aims to secure its position in the finals, Healy is now fighting to regain fitness for their final-round game against South Africa. The captain’s potential absence from that crucial match would no doubt have been demoralizing, leading to doubts about the team’s mental and physical preparedness as well.
