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Australia captain Alyssa Healy has opened up about the heartbreaking semi-final loss to India at the ICC Women’s World Cup, admitting the defeat in Navi Mumbai still “hurts” and will take time to move on from. India had stunned Australia by successfully chasing 339 – the highest-ever run chase in World Cup knockout history across both men’s and women’s cricket – before going on to win the title against South Africa in the final.
Speaking on the Willow Talk Cricket podcast, Healy said she was proud of her team’s campaign but couldn’t shake off the pain of falling short against India. “I won’t lie, I’ve been better,” she said. “We played some really incredible cricket over seven weeks but just couldn’t get past that Indian hurdle. It’s disappointing, but I’m excited about what this team can do in the next cycle.” Healy admitted that Australia had left runs on the field despite posting 338, with Phoebe Litchfield scoring her maiden World Cup century. “I actually thought we were a bit under-par. When Pez (Ellyse Perry) and Phoebe were batting, we were looking at 350-plus. If we had pushed up there, it might have made a difference,” she said. Reflecting on why the loss stung so much, Healy said it was because the team had been performing at such a high level throughout the tournament. “Everyone was contributing, everyone was playing out of their skin, and we just had half an off night in a knockout game. It’s sad that we don’t have a trophy to show for it.” Healy also explained how the conditions at DY Patil Stadium played a role, revealing that the red-soil pitch behaved differently under lights. “The wicket was slower early on, and under lights it started sliding on nicely. We probably weren’t quick enough to adapt with the ball and missed our lengths a little at the back end,” she said. Two dropped catches off Jemimah Rodrigues, who remained unbeaten on 127, proved costly. Healy also recalled her own dismissal during a chaotic phase affected by lighting issues. “There was a lot happening around the sightscreen and lights. It was frustrating. If I had waited a minute longer, we’d have gone off the field and come back again,” she said. Despite the disappointment, Healy praised India for their composure and called the victory a great moment for the global game. “India got themselves over the line, and it’s great for women’s cricket. It’ll haunt me for a little while, but that’s okay,” she concluded.
