Healy’s greatest hits: The games that defined a legendary career

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From the moment Alyssa Healy first pulled on the green and gold almost 16 years ago, it was obvious she was going to be something special.

The niece of former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy, Alyssa wasted no time in showing the family legacy was in safe hands with a confident one-day international debut as a 19-year-old.

She then went on to become a dominant force on the world stage, representing Australia in 10 Tests, 123 one-day internationals and 162 T20s. She scored more than 7000 runs, including eight centuries, and claimed 275 dismissals.

Her contributions with both bat and gloves helped Australia win eight World Cups, a Commonwealth Games gold medal and four Ashes series. She has captained her country since Meg Lanning’s retirement in 2023.

She was just as dominant in domestic cricket, scoring 3125 runs in the WBBL and almost 3000 runs in the WNCL, helping win two WBBL titles and 11 WNCL crowns.

Along the way, she collected myriad individual honours, highlighted by the Belinda Clark Award, Australia’s highest honour in women’s cricket, in 2019. She has twice been named ICC Women’s T20I player of the year.

Australian captain Alyssa Healy addresses players before an Ashes Test.

After announcing, at the age of 35, that she will retire after the upcoming multi-format series against India, let’s reflect on Alyssa Healy’s greatest hits.

ODI debut, 2010

Three years after debuting for the NSW Breakers as a 16-year-old, Healy was called into the Australian team and made an immediate impact.

Batting at No.8 against New Zealand in Adelaide, she hit a cheeky 21 off 11 balls, with five boundaries, to help the home team reach 241 from their 50 overs.

Alyssa Healy playing against India in 2010.

She then proved just as capable behind the stumps, taking a catch and conceding no byes, to help dismiss the Kiwis for 126. A star was born.

Test debut, 2011

With Australia in early strife at 5-45 in reply to England’s 207, their 20-year-old wicket-keeper rescued them with a top score of 37 from 74 balls at No.8, helping the home side to 159.

Australia then bundled England out for 149 in their second innings and chased down the total with seven wickets intact.

A first international century

It was a while coming, but Healy posted her first triple-figure score for Australia in March 2018, hammering 133 off 115 balls against India in Vadodara. Her 17 boundaries and two sixes helped the Aussies reach 332-7, setting up victory by 97 runs. For good measure, she pouched two catches.

T20 destroyer

In a remarkable display of clean hitting, Healy put Sri Lanka to the sword at North Sydney Oval in 2019.

In 61 balls, she blasted seven sixes and 19 fours, finishing 148 not out in Australia’s total of 2-226.

Alyssa Healy set up Australia’s win in the Twenty20 World Cup final at the MCG in 2020 by smashing 75 off 39 balls.

She capped that with a catch, and no byes conceded, as the home team restricted Sri Lanka to 7-94 to complete a landslide win.

World beater

In front of a record-breaking crowd of 86,174 at the MCG in 2020, a Healy blitz set up Australia’s crushing victory against India.

Batting first, the Aussies were off to a flyer as Healy smacked five sixes and seven fours, finishing with 75 off 39 balls. She shared a 115-run opening stand with Beth Mooney (78 off 54 balls) to help the home side post an imposing 4-184.

They dismissed India for 99 in reply and celebrated their victory on stage with pop superstar Katy Perry.

Semi satisfied

Reaffirmed her reputation as a big-game player by scoring 129 off 107 balls against the West Indies in the World Cup (50-over) semi-final in Wellington in March 2022. Shared a 216-run opening stand with Rachael Haynes (85) as Australia posted 305-3, cruising to victory by 157 runs.

Final onslaught

Alyssa Healy after scoring 170 against England in the 2022 World Cup final.

Just a few days after her semi-final heroics, Healy followed up with an even more dynamic display in the tournament decider.

Playing against England in Christchurch, she smashed 170 from 138 balls, including 26 fours. That comprised the bulk of Australia’s 5-356, which was enough to win the final by 71 runs.

So near, yet so far

Alyssa Healy on her way to 99 against South Africa at the WACA.

Captaining Australia in a Test match on home soil for the first time, in February 2024, Healy appeared set to mark the occasion with a century against South Africa at the WACA.

On a 40-degree day, some brilliant fielding on the boundary prevented her from moving from 97 to 101.

Two balls later, she was devastated when a leading edge presented spinner Delmi Tucker with a return catch.

If it is any consolation, her highest Test score of 99 is the same as husband Mitchell Starc’s.

Australian women’s captain Alyssa Healy celebrating her century against Bangladesh at last year’s World Cup.

Tons of class

In consecutive innings in the 2025 ODI World Cup, in Visakhapatnam, Healy scored 142 against India and an unbeaten 113 against Bangladesh to break an ODI century drought that spanned more than two years. That took her to eight tons in Australia’s colours.