Alyssa Healy calls time on her illustrious 16-year international career

Australian women’s cricket legend Alyssa Healy has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a long and successful 16-year career. The 35-year-old confirmed her decision on her podcast Willow Talk.

The wicketkeeper-batter said the upcoming series against India will be her final international appearance for Australia. The series is scheduled to conclude in early March.

Announcing her retirement, Healy said, “It is with mixed emotions that I say the upcoming series against India will be my last for Australia. I still absolutely love playing for my country, but I feel I’ve somewhat lost the competitive edge that has driven me since the beginning. That’s why this feels like the right time to step away.”

Healy also confirmed that she will not take part in this year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. In addition, she will miss the T20 matches against India, citing the team’s limited preparation time.

However, Healy expressed her excitement at the opportunity to lead Australia in the ODI and Test formats at home against India.

“Even though I won’t be part of the T20 World Cup, captaining the team in the ODI and Test series at home against a strong side like India is something very special for me,” she said.

Calling it an honour to represent her country, Healy added, “I will genuinely miss spending time with my teammates, singing the team song and walking out to open the batting for Australia. Representing my country has been the greatest honour of my life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play one final series.”

One of the most influential figures in Australian women’s cricket, Alyssa Healy played a crucial role in multiple World Cup triumphs. Her contributions both behind the stumps and with the bat will be remembered for a long time.