Alyssa Healy does not know the word nerves. If anything, she’s made a career out of transferring that feeling to her opponents — unsettling dugouts, dictating tempo and turning matches into her personal stage.
At the 2025 Women’s World Cup, Healy once again reminded everyone why she is one of the most feared names in world cricket. A quiet start gave way to an authoritative onslaught – the kind only Healy can summon when it matters most.
on Thursday India may not face a fully fit Healy, but even its 50 percent version can be just as dangerous. australian captain, is recovering from a calf injury that kept her out of the last two gameshe has the talent to perform on the big stage. And the World Cup semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai is as big as it gets.
Before the injury, Healy was in commanding touch – 294 runs from just four outings, including two hundreds, at an average of 98 and a strike rate of over 130. On both occasions she crossed fifty and didn’t stop until she reached three figures – classic Healy, ruthless and relentless.
When he leaves on Thursday – whether limping or jumping – he will carry the aura of a player who thrives under the lights and pressure. The question is: can India find a way to quell the storm before it sweeps them away?
MISA HIS BEST DELIVERY
Like any great player, Healy has his share of vulnerabilities, though none of them have appeared at this World Cup. Her form was so sovereign that she barely gave her opponent a sniff. Still, as former West Indies paceman and seasoned commentator Ian Bishop noted, even the best can be brought down by clever bowling and persistence.
“As a seamer, you have to focus on your best delivery – whether it’s Renuka Singh Tagore pushing back or the one shaping away from Alyssa Healy. She’s error-prone like everyone else and if she’s coming back from injury, there might be some rust,” Bishop said while answering a query from India Today during the Media Day semi-final.
“So the mindset should be clear: if I’m bowling with the new ball, or if I’m a left-arm spinner, or even Deepti Sharma bowling for her – I have to give my best performance. She’s a great player no doubt, but in cricket even the best fail more often than they succeed,” Bishop added.
However, taming Healy on Indian soil was never going to be easy. India will have to go the extra mile as their record here is nothing short of remarkable. In 13 ODIs in India, she amassed 631 runs at an average of 52.58 and a strike rate of 112.67 – figures that underline her dominance.
Three centuries and fifties on these pitches will tell you how comfortable they are in these conditions and why India must bring their best to keep them calm.
HELLO GLOWING IN THE KNOCKOUTCH
When it comes to ICC knockout games, Healy transforms into something else entirely. The pressure will not imprison her; it drives her. In just three ODI World Cup qualifiers, she has amassed 304 runs at a staggering average of 101.33 – the mark of a player who saves her best for the biggest stage.
Yes, there was that one off day – the 2017 semi-final when Harmanpreet Kaur’s iconic 171 stole the show – but since then Healy has written her own scripts of dominance.
The 2022 World Cup was her fairytale. A masterclass of 129 runs in the semi-final against West Indies, followed by that breathtaking 170 in the final against England, sealed her Player of the Series award and cemented her legend.
India, too, would remember the havoc they unleashed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2020 – a blistering 75 that destroyed their T20 World Cup dream in front of a record crowd.
So when Healy steps in for another knockout, no introduction is needed. Indian bowlers will have to be disciplined and their fielders faultless. Dropped catches and errant fields are luxuries they simply cannot afford. Because if Healy makes it to Navi Mumbai, India could find themselves chasing shadows – and possibly more heartbreak.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
October 30, 2025
