Mumbai | Australia captain Alyssa Healy expressed disappointment over her team’s “junk” bowling after the seven-time champions were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup in a dramatic semi-final loss to India on Thursday.
Led by a brilliant unbeaten 127 from Jemimah Rodrigues, India chased down a daunting target of 339 to claim a stunning five-wicket victory, ensuring a new name will be etched on the World Cup trophy after Sunday’s final.
“I think at the halfway mark, we thought we went okay,” Healy said at the post-match press conference. “Ultimately, I just think we dished up a little bit too much junk to hit at times and didn’t capitalise on the opportunities we created. It feels a bit un-Australian not to be as clinical as we usually are.”
While acknowledging India’s dominant performance, Healy remained optimistic about the team’s future, emphasizing that Australia had shown strong form throughout the tournament. “We’ve been playing some unbelievable cricket, and that’s why it doesn’t quite feel right sitting here on the losing end,” she said. “It wasn’t just one player carrying the team — everyone contributed, so there are still plenty of positives to take away.”
The defeat marks the second consecutive major tournament where Australia failed to reach the final, following their semi-final exit in last year’s T20 World Cup.
Healy also praised the competitiveness of this edition of the tournament, describing it as the most closely contested Women’s World Cup yet. “There were genuinely eight teams in finals contention, which was really exciting to see,” the 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batter added. “It’s great for the game to have a new champion. The support for women’s cricket here in India has been phenomenal, and hopefully, this final between India and South Africa does wonders for the sport globally.”
Australia’s exit may sting, but Healy’s words reflect both humility and hope — a recognition that women’s cricket is evolving into a truly global contest.
