Australia will be without fast bowler Mitchell Starc for Saturday's final one-day international against South Africa after he was given permission to leave the tour to watch his wife Alyssa Healy compete in the women's T20 World Cup final. Healy will feature for Australia against India in the decider of the global T20 competition at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, and will be able to count on the support of Starc.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur rued a stunning lower-order collapse as world champions Australia chased down a record 331 to seal a three-wicket win in the Women's World Cup, Visakhapatnam, on Sunday.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was at a loss for words after her team stormed into the Women's ODI World Cup final but she did make a point to say that the players have already set their sights on the summit clash and are determined to "give their best" against first-timers South Africa.
Delhi Capitals' marquee signing KL Rahul is expected to miss the first two matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season
Stand-in-skipper Tahlia McGrath lauded "world-class" Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner for bailing Australia out of early wobble and guiding them to a six-wicket win over England in the Women's World Cup match, in Indore, on Wednesday.
Back from a long injury lay-off, on the eve of the Women's Ashes, Healy confirmed that she would be ready to take on the wicketkeeping duties.
'Alyssa is my most favourite Australian right now and not Mitch Starc. He is No. 2.'
Australia Women's team captain Alyssa Healy on Wednesday said that her husband and fast bowler Mitchell Starc deserved the record-breaking IPL paycheck as he has worked hard for many years.
The franchise chose to retain only former Under-19 World Cup winner Shweta Sehrawat as part of a fresh approach for the upcoming season.
Perry hailed India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues for batting India into the World Cup final, saying their composure under pressure earned applause even from their dressing room.
From the Southern Stars, Healy was deservingly chosen for her dominant show against all types of bowling in the recent series against New Zealand.
Cricket Australia will support any Aussie player who chooses not to return, as the focus shifts toward international duties -- particularly the World Test Championship final at Lord's on June 11.
The second ball of the opening over stunned Healy as Shikha bowled a ball that moved quite a distance after pitching outside off and then swung in considerably to hit the top of middle stump.
'I wouldn't bowl to him (Gill) in England, that's for sure.'
Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy wasn't sympathetic towards Harmanpreet Kaur following her bizarre run out in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Cape Town.
Australia's batters provided their experienced bowling unit with sufficient runs to defend on a slow wicket and register a comprehensive 60-run win over New Zealand in the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the WPL match between Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz in New Delhi on Friday
Mitchell Starc has reportedly decided against returning to India for the remainder of IPL 2025, dealing a blow to his team Delhi Capitals' prospects of reaching the play-offs.
Wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy smashed her way to a brilliant 133 off 115 balls with the Southern Stars piling up a massive 332 for 7.
IMAGES from the WPL encounter played between Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz on Saturday
'A fair bit of shock and certainly excitement with how it was all unfolding, but nothing I could have ever imagined.'
Jemimah Rodrigues produced a sensational knock that included 14 fours as India pulled off the biggest successful chase in women's ODI history with nine balls to spare.
Defending champions Australia delivered a commanding performance to bowl out Pakistan for 82 and then cruised to a nine-wicket victory, virtually sealing a spot in the women's T20 World Cup semifinals, in Dubai on Friday.
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana remained in third place while Laura Wolvaardt retained her top spot.
Seasoned all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner's commanding century and disciplined effort from the bowlers helped defending champions Australia thrash trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by 89 runs in their ICC Women's World Cup opening match in Indore on Wednesday.
India along with New Zealand and Pakistan are in contention for the last remaining semi-final spot from Group A.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur knows that fans have placed heaps of expectations on her side ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's ODI World Cup at home, and she wants to enjoy the moment without succumbing to the pressure to land a maiden title.
India are going to be an "incredibly" dominant side for a long period of time and her visiting side can only underestimate the hosts at their own peril, Australia captain Alyssa Healy said on Wednesday, ahead of the one-off women's Test in Mumbai.
Poor execution with the bat undid India A's superb bowling performance as Australia A made a clean sweep
Australia's Alyssa Healy criticised India's decision to schedule the Women's T20 Challenge in November despite it clashing with the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). The three-team Challenge tournament, which was introduced in 2018, has been staged on the sidelines of the popular men's Indian Premier League (IPL) in March to May, ensuring decent crowds and coverage.
'I think we have got a very settled batting lineup. Would not like to shuffle it around too much but when the need arises, you know we are flexible about it.'
Smriti Mandhana-led IPL Trailblazers compete against IPL Supernovas, to be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur.
Jemimah Rodrigues struck a sensational century as hosts India reached the ICC Women's World Cup Final with a magical run-chase against Australia
IMAGES from the Women's Premier League game in Bengaluru between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz on Wednesday
Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma guided India to a historic 52-run victory over South Africa which saw the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 hosts lift the trophy for the first time.
Josh Inglis smashed a 43-ball century, Australia's fastest in the shortest format, as the visitors thrashed Scotland by 70 runs in the second Twenty20 International at The Grange, in Edinburg, to clinch the series with a game to spare on Friday.
Schutt (3/12) also equalled South Africa's Shabnim Ismail's record scalp of 43 wickets across all editions of T20 World Cup.
Australia have now made it to the semi-finals of the global T20 tournament in all its nine editions held so far since 2009 in England.
Images from the Women's Premier League 2023 match between UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Indian all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur played a crucial knock of 35 runs, as Melbourne Renegades defeated Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) match in Launceston.
