"We're really hopeful for the semi": Nitschke hoping to regain captain Healy for their semi-final clash against India
Oct 26, 2025
New Delhi [India], October 26 : Australia are optimistic about having captain Alyssa Healy back for their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup semi-final against hosts India on Thursday (October 30), after she missed parts of their last league match due to a calf injury.
The Aussies defeated South Africa by seven wickets in Indore on Saturday and have some valuable time off before their semi-final contest against the tournament's hosts.
Those extra days will provide Healy the opportunity to recover fully, with Australia coach Shelley Nitschke expressing hope that their skipper will be fit in time for the semi-final.
"She wasn't quite up to it tonight, but she'll continue to be assessed. We're really hopeful for the semi, but still a few days to play out before that. And we're hopeful again, she'll just continue to be assessed the closer we get to that," Shelley Nitschke said as quoted from ICC.
Australia registered a three-wicket victory over India during the league stage of the World Cup, with Healy leading the way with a brilliant innings of 142 as the Aussies chased down their mammoth victory target of 331 with one over remaining.
Spinner Alana King went wicketless in that contest and only bowled six overs as India's batters scored freely against her, with Nitschke admitting she may use the right-armer differently this time around.
"I think it's just sort of seeing when the game plays out," the Australian coach said of King following her seven-wicket haul against the Proteas. She obviously doesn't come on a lot in the Powerplay. So, once you sort of get through that, it's then about the batters that are in the matchups and the stage of the game and who's going to be the best person to bowl, " Shelley Nitschke said.
And while India will have a parochial home crowd cheering them on in the knockout semi-final in Navi Mumbai, the venue holds no fears for the Aussies following their 2-1 T20I series triumph over Harmanpreet Kaur's side at the venue at the start of last year.
"We have played a lot at that ground and against India," Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. It's a knockout game, you have to be on. Qualifying, job one done, now to job two - the knockouts."
