Women's World Cup 2025: Alyssa Healy will definitely be back for knockouts, confirms Tahlia McGrath

Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath has revealed that skipper Alyssa Healy remains a day-by-day proposition at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as she continues to recover from a calf injury. Healy sustained the injury during a training session earlier this week and was sidelined in Indore on Wednesday, where the reigning World Cup champions secured an impressive six-wicket victory over arch-rivals England, a result that propelled them to the top of the tournament standings.

With just one group-stage match remaining against South Africa in Indore on Saturday before the knockout phase begins on October 29, McGrath indicated that Healy is expected to make a return at some stage during the tournament.

“She will definitely be back. It’s a bit of day-by-day (prognosis), and I’ll leave that in the hands of the physio. I think she’s tracking nicely, but a bit of a day-by-day progress,” said McGrath.

Who Australia will face in the semi-finals of the competition remains to be seen, with the final spot in the knockout stages likely to become clearer after hosts India take on New Zealand in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.

A victory over South Africa on Saturday would ensure Australia finish atop the standings at the end of the group stage and face the fourth-placed side in the semi-finals. McGrath noted that despite their strong performances, the team still has several areas to improve on ahead of the crucial knockout matches.

“There is certainly a lot to improve on from this game. For us, it’s that belief that from any position, we can win. So fine-tune a few areas and still keep that belief and that momentum going,” said McGrath.

The loss means England cannot finish at the top of the standings and will instead end the group stage in second or third place, with their remaining match against New Zealand in Vizag on Sunday set to determine their final position. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt expressed confidence when asked if her side could beat Australia in the knockout stages, responding without hesitation.

"We definitely weren’t at our best today, but I don’t think we have played our best game yet. We will be ready for them if we do see them again,” said Sciver-Brunt.