Shelley Nitschke pleased with skipper’s progress, but stopped short of confirming she would lead Australia in Thursday’s semi-final
Australia have remained coy on Alyssa Healy’s availability for Thursday’s ODI World Cup semi-final, but signs are positive the national captain will take her place for the blockbuster against India in Navi Mumbai.
Healy did not join in Australia’s optional session at DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday evening, however her absence was not an unusual occurrence, nor necessarily a concerning one given the 35-year-old would be carefully balancing training versus recovery in her return from a calf injury.
She had trained strongly 24 hours earlier, passing a fitness test before completing thorough batting and wicketkeeping sessions.
Australia coach Shelley Nitschke declared she was happy with how Healy had gotten through Tuesday’s session but stopped short of confirming her availability to take on India.
“We’ll give her as much time as she needs to make a call on that before the game tomorrow,” Nitschke said.
Australia have a few options up their sleeve when it comes to Healy, given her replacement behind the stumps Beth Mooney is also a core member of their best XI, giving them the flexibility to play their skipper as a specialist batter.
If she did not get up, Georgia Voll would remain at the top of the order, while Tahlia McGrath would lead Australia.
Nitschke said Australia were also mulling the optimal make-up of their bowling attack, pointing to it as a critical factor on a surface that is likely to offer plenty of runs and little assistance for the bowlers.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux is likely to return after sitting out against South Africa in her ongoing management of her knee, but Australia also have the option of leg-spinner Georgia Wareham. Molineux played the round-robin stage game against India, taking 3-75 from 10 overs.
“I think there’s still a few things to weigh up,” Nitschke said.
“We trained here last night and again tonight, so we’ll have a sit down at the end of training, look at what we think our best team is, first of all against India, but also given the conditions here.
“We won’t make a firm decision on that until probably tomorrow.”
Matching up against India’s top-order will be key, given Smriti Mandhana’s record against Australia since their arrival on the subcontinent seven weeks ago.
The left-hander has hit 380 runs at 95 including two centuries and two fifties in her four innings against Australia since September 14.
Australia will also have to mull potential match-ups to her new opening partner.
The aggressive Shafali Verma is shaping as the likely replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, given her X-factor status and experience in World Cup matches, but India have at least three other options up their sleeve.
“We know that they’ve got a lot of depth in their team,” Nitschke said.
“They’ve had a really good, strong opening partnership with Rawal and Smriti, so that (injury) changes things for them.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a relief because we certainly know that whoever they put out there, they’ve got a Lot of depth with their batting, so we’re certainly going to have to be ready and be really well prepared for whatever opening combination that they put out there tomorrow.”
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
Australia’s group stage matches
October 1: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs
October 4: v Sri Lanka: Abandoned without a ball bowled
October 8: Australia beat Pakistan by 107 runs
October 12: Australia beat India by 3 wickets
October 16: Australia beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets
October 22: Australia beat England by 6 wickets
October 25: Australia beat South Africa by 7 wickets
Finals
Semi-final 1: South Africa defeated England by 125 runs
Semi-final 2: Australia v India, Mumbai, October 30, 8:30pm AEDT
Final: South Africa v TBC, Mumbai, November 2, 8:30pm AEDT
All matches to be broadcast exclusively live and free on Prime Video.
