Big game player: How Healy re-found her rhythm against India

12 Oct 2025 Laura Jolly, at ACA-VDCA Stadium, Vizag

The Australian captain reveals how she brushed off a run of lower scores to go big in a high-pressure World Cup game against the hosts

In the Vizag nets leading into Sunday's blockbuster World Cup clash with India, Alyssa Healy was the picture of frustration.

Somewhere between dropping off her kitbags at the departures lounge at Sydney International Airport and her arrival in Delhi last month, she had misplaced her rhythm.

Instant classic! Healy's epic century leads world record chase

A promising comeback from her injury-riddled 2024-25 summer for Australia A in August – which included an unbeaten century and two fifties – had filled the national skipper with confidence she was in good nick before she left Australian shores on September 10.

But after arriving in India – nope, nada. It was gone.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it's been a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm whatsoever," Healy told reporters fresh off her match-winning 142.

"I've been struggling to find it, and I didn't really know where it went before I came into the World Cup."

Healy's outings during Australia's three bilateral one-dayers against India last month yielded a couple of starts – 27, 9, 30 – but nothing of substance.

A 17-ball 19 in Australia's Cup opener against New Zealand followed, then Healy struck a brace of early boundaries against Pakistan in Colombo only to flick a simple catch straight to midwicket on 20, causing the 35-year-old to march off the field in frustration.

That brought her to Vizag, where she sat out Australia's first optional session on Friday afternoon before a solid net under lights on match eve.

But big occasions tend to bring out the best in Healy, and when you throw fierce rivals India, a sell-out crowd and a mammoth target of 331 into the mix, it can spark something special.

"I think once you step out on the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you just lock into getting in the contest," Healy continued.

"I was aware that Kranti (Goud) had got me out a fair bit throughout the ODI series, so it was an opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard.

As it happened: Australia pull off world record chase in Vizag

"I think that got me going and that was a really enjoyable experience.

"It was my day today, and hopefully it continues but if not, I'm sure it'll be someone else's, which is cool."

From ball one of Australia's pursuit of 331 at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, Healy was switched on, finding her devastating best as she raced to her hundred off 84 balls.

She went on to make 142 off 107, putting Australia within 66 runs of victory when she was finally dismissed in the 39th over.

It was Healy's sixth ODI ton, her first as Australian captain and her first in any international format since her 170 in the 2022 World Cup final in Christchurch.

"I was just trying to focus and lock in on the job at hand, I think first and foremost you've got to get off to a good start – that's something we haven't quite done thus far in this World Cup, to set a platform in the first 10 (overs)," Healy said of her approach.

"I thought Phoebe (Litchfield) and I were able to do that.

"Then to try and drop the (required) run rate as quickly as what we can back down to six an over, which sounds easy, but to do it over long periods in a 50-over game isn't the easiest thing.

"I just thought we managed to chase really well, but I think the start enabled us to do that.

"I was just trying to contribute; we needed somebody to make a hundred to chase down that total.

"It was my day in the end. It hasn't been my day of late, but it was my day today … I would have liked to be there a little bit longer and probably see it home a little bit more, but I think to get ourselves in a winning position at that point in time was really cool."

Post-game, Healy also looked to the overall picture, saying the world record chase was an injection of confidence for Australia's batting line-up midway through the round stage of the tournament.

Their first two completed games saw them forced to scrap their way out of trouble with the help of the tailenders, but Sunday's game also saw welcome contributions from Ellyse Perry (47no) and Phoebe Litchfield (40).

"At the break, we spoke about how actually the last few times we've played against India, we've made over 300," Healy said.

"We've put 400 on them in a fixture as well, and so we knew we could do it.

"It was just going out there and doing it under pressure.

"That's a really cool stat and one for our batting unit to take a heap of confidence (out of) moving down into the tournament to go, 'yep, we were able to achieve that, let's go again."

2025 Women's ODI World Cup

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham