Foot on the throat: No letting up as Healy joins 7k club

Alyssa Healy's red-hot World Cup form will have a trickle-down effect on her teammates, says Alana King, boosting the Australian squad heading into the business end of the tournament.

Healy ticked off a cavalcade of milestones and records during her unbeaten 113 against Bangladesh, becoming the first woman to score back-to-back ODI World Cup centuries on two occasions.

The 35-year-old also moved ahead of Australian legends Meg Lanning and Karen Rolton to outright hold the record for most ODI World Cup records scored by an Australian woman.

One milestone that was overshadowed came just 16 balls into Healy's knock, when she dispatched Bangladesh left-arm pacer Fariha Trisna to the deep midwicket boundary.

It brought up run No.7,000 for Healy in international cricket. It's a milestone just two Australian women have reached before her: Meg Lanning, who hit 8,352 before her retirement, and Ellyse Perry, currently on 7,517.

By the time Australia iced victory in Vizag, Healy's career tally stood at 7,101.

Breathing down her neck is Beth Mooney, who briefly overtook Healy and moved into the No.3 position following her own match-winning hundred against Pakistan last week, and who is also rapidly closing in on the 7k mark at 6,851.

But for now, it is fitting that Lanning, Perry and Healy are the first three Aussie women to crack 7,000, given the trio grew up playing underage cricket together in Sydney during primary school, before Lanning's family shifted to Melbourne.

In terms of Australia's broader World Cup campaign, Healy's twin tons have led two dominant batting displays, helping to chase a world-record 330 against India before they reeled in 198 against Bangladesh inside 25 overs without losing a wicket.

It is an ominous sign from the reigning champions, following shakier displays in their opening games against New Zealand and Pakistan, where match-saving centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Mooney rescued Australia following middle-order collapses.

"It's just incredible to see what (Healy's) done – first of all to (score a century) against India in India was massive and she was pretty bloody determined to do so," King told reporters following Australia's 10-wicket win on Thursday.

"But then to not let the foot off the throat and do it again tonight, just shows where her mindset's at.

"She's hitting the ball beautifully and to have Phoebe (Litchfield) down the other end in tandem, hitting the ball as clean as I've seen her and, and to chase down a pretty big total, none down, I think that's something that going to ooze confidence in our whole lineup."

Australia have now cemented their spot in the World Cup semi-finals with two round matches left to play.

But given those games feature two of Australia's biggest rivals for the title, do not expect Healy to take the foot off the pedal.

"We pride ourselves on our professionalism and being clinical in big tournaments," Healy said on Thursday night.

"Foot on the throat from us at the back end of this tournament."

2025 Women's ODI World Cup

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Australia's group stage matches

October 1: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs

October 4: v Sri Lanka: Abandoned without a ball bowled

October 8: Australia beat Pakistan by 107 runs

October 12: Australia beat India by 3 wickets

October 16: Australia beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets

October 22: v England, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

Finals

Semi-final 1: Guwahati or Colombo*, October 29, 8:30pm AEDT

Semi-final 2: Mumbai, October 30, 8:30pm AEDT

Final: Mumbai or Colombo*, November 2, 8:30pm AEDT

All matches to be broadcast exclusively live and free on Prime Video.

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