Australia women’s captain Alyssa Healy has announced her retirement from international cricket, confirming that the upcoming multi-format home series against India in February–March will be her swansong. One of the most influential figures in women’s cricket over the past decade, Alyssa will step away from the international stage after leading Australia in the ODI series and the one-off day-night Test in Perth. She has opted out of the T20Is, citing the team’s preparation plans for this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup.
Alyssa Healy’s decision driven by timing and team priorities
Explaining her decision, Alyssa revealed that while her love for representing Australia remains strong, the competitive edge that fuelled her long career has begun to fade. With Australia focusing on long-term planning and World Cup preparation, the wicketkeeper-batter felt it was the right moment to allow the next generation to step in, particularly in the shortest format.
The India series, however, holds special significance. Alyssa will captain the side in both the ODIs and the historic pink-ball Test, ensuring her career ends on home soil in one of the marquee series on the international calendar.
“It’s with mixed emotions that the upcoming India series will be my last for Australia. 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,” said Alyssa as quoted by Cricket.com.au.
From teenage debutant to global superstar
A niece of former Australia men’s wicketkeeper Ian Healy, Alyssa made her international debut in 2010 as a 19-year-old against New Zealand. Over the next 15 years, she redefined the role of a wicketkeeper-batter, combining explosive opening batting with elite glovework. She is set to finish her career with 162 T20I caps, 126 ODIs and 11 Tests for Australia, along with a world-record 126 dismissals in women’s T20Is.
Widely regarded as one of the most destructive batters the women’s game has seen, Alyssa holds several landmark records, including the highest individual score in a World Cup final and the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in women’s T20 international cricket.
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Leadership era and major achievements
Alyssa took over as Australia’s full-time captain in 2023 following the retirement of Meg Lanning. Her tenure was highlighted by a historic 16-0 multi-format Ashes whitewash of England, a result that underlined Australia’s dominance. Under her leadership, Australia also reached the semi-finals of both the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.
Across her career, Alyssa was part of eight ICC World Cup-winning campaigns—six T20 titles and two ODI crowns—and also played a key role in Australia’s gold medal triumph at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Awards and impact beyond international cricket
Individually, Alyssa’s excellence was recognised with the Belinda Clark Award in 2019 and ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year honours in 2018 and 2019. At domestic level, she became a modern icon for the Sydney Sixers, scoring over 3,000 runs across 11 Women’s Big Bash League seasons and winning two titles. She also featured in the Women’s Premier League, captaining the UP Warriorz, further extending her influence on the global growth of the women’s game.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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