The Australian cricket is about to turn a massive page. Alyssa Healy, one of the most influential figures the women’s game has ever produced, has announced that she will retire from international cricket following the upcoming multi-format home series against India in February and March. The decision also confirms that Healy will not take part in the 2026 T20 World Cup, choosing instead to step away after finishing her career on home soil. This year’s T20 World Cup in England & Wales will start on 12 June.
With the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 going on, the women’s cricket has been the talk of the town. However, Healy’s revelation has come out of the blue. One would’ve imagined that she’d play till this year’s T20 World Cup. However, Healy will captain Australia in the three-match ODI series and the one-off day-night Test in Perth but will skip the T20Is as part of Australia’s World Cup preparation. The 34-year-old believes the timing is right, even if the emotions are mixed.
“It’s with mixed emotions that the upcoming India series will be my last for Australia,” Healy said while speaking on the Willow Talk podcast. “I still love playing for my country, but I feel the competitive edge that’s driven me for so long isn’t quite the same anymore. The timing feels right.”
“I won’t be going to the T20 World Cup this year and, given the limited preparation time the team has, I won’t be part of the T20s against India. But I’m excited to finish my career by captaining the ODI and Test sides at home in one of the biggest series on our calendar. I’ll genuinely miss my teammates, singing the team song and walking out to open the batting for Australia. Representing my country has been an incredible honour and I’m grateful for one last series in the green and gold.”
Legendary career ends for Alyssa Healy
Few players have changed women’s cricket the way Alyssa Healy has. From her international debut as a 19-year-old in 2010 to becoming Australia’s full-time captain in 2023 after Meg Lanning’s retirement, Healy’s journey has been a massive one. Eight World Cups (six T20, two ODI), a Commonwealth Games gold medal, the highest individual score in a World Cup final, the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in women’s T20Is, and more catches behind the stumps than any wicketkeeper in cricket history. No male or female player has more.
As captain, she oversaw a historic 16–0 Ashes sweep of England and guided Australia into the semi-finals of both the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 ODI World Cup. Individually, she claimed the Belinda Clark Award in 2019 and ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year honours in 2018 and 2019. Incredibly, if she plays all three W-ODIs and the one-off Test in Perth, Healy will end her career with 299 international appearances.
Most runs in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history ft. Healy
| Player | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 50 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzie Bates (NZ-W) | 42 | 1216 | 94* | 31.17 | 111.05 | 8 | 132 | 8 |
| Sarah Taylor (WI-W) | 35 | 1014 | 59 | 37.55 | 94.67 | 6 | 94 | 13 |
| Alyssa Healy (AUS-W) | 39 | 1008 | 83 | 28.8 | 129.39 | 7 | 132 | 15 |
| Meg Lanning (AUS-W) | 32 | 992 | 126 | 39.68 | 112.72 | 4 | 121 | 12 |
| Sophie Devine (NZ-W) | 37 | 785 | 75* | 26.16 | 111.82 | 4 | 72 | 19 |
Cricket
Exclusive | 'Bound to have competition' – Devdutt Padikkal on fighting Venkatesh Iyer for a spot in RCB's XI
