Alyssa Healy ruled out of England clash due to muscle strain; Tahlia McGrath to lead Australia in Indore

In a statement on Tuesday, Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that Healy’s fitness will continue to be monitored, and she will be reassessed ahead of the team’s final league game against South Africa on October 25.

In her absence, vice-captain Tahlia McGrath will take charge of the team, while Beth Mooney will handle wicketkeeping duties. Georgia Voll is expected to join the playing XI as Healy’s replacement. Voll, who made her debut last December, has already registered one century and one half-century in five matches and is likely to open the innings with Phoebe Litchfield.

Australia already through to the semi-finals

Australia has been in stellar form this World Cup, becoming the first team to qualify for the semi-finals after winning four of their five matches. England and South Africa have also secured their places in the final four. Although Healy’s absence won’t significantly affect the team’s qualification chances, her current form makes her recovery crucial ahead of the knockout stage.

Healy has been in exceptional touch, scoring 142 (107)* against India and 113 (77)* against Bangladesh, following modest starts of 19 and 20 runs against New Zealand and Pakistan. Her 202-run opening stand with Phoebe Litchfield against Bangladesh remains one of the highlights of the tournament.

Injury troubles continue for Healy

This is not the first time the Australian skipper has battled injuries. She had earlier missed the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa and the group match versus India due to a fitness issue. Subsequent knee and foot problems kept her sidelined for most of the 2024–25 season, ruling her out of the WBBL, India ODI series, Ashes T20s, and the New Zealand tour.

Healy made her comeback in August 2025, featuring for Australia A in six white-ball matches against India A, before returning to the senior squad for the ongoing World Cup.