Women's World Cup 2025 SWOT: Can Alyssa Healy's Australia dominate in India?

Aashay Chopade

Australia women squad (Source:@ACA_Players/X.com)Australia women squad (Source:@ACA_Players/X.com)

The Women's World Cup 2025 is all set to kick off on September 30, and the defending champions, Australia, will start their campaign against New Zealand on October 1. They have dominated women's cricket for quite a long time now and hardly get beaten in the ODI format.

In the last Women's World Cup, Australia did not lose a single game, and they would be looking to assert the same dominance this time around. So, do Australia have the arsenal to take another World Cup title home? Let's dig deeper and analyse their strength and weaknesses.

Australia's squad for Women's World Cup 2025

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

Strengths of Australia

World-class batters and bowlers

Australia are a team full of match-winners and world-beaters and enjoys the depth that no other team can come close to. They have the firepower of the Alyssa Healy at the top of the order, while the likes of Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney provide stability in the batting.

There are power-hitters in the lower middle order too, like Ashleigh Gardner, Tahila McGrath and Annabel Sutherland. They have all delivered under pressure in the past, and the presence of world-class all-rounders makes them a team full of options in the batting and bowling departments.

Thus, they have all bases covered, whether it is batting or bowling, and it makes them a dangerous team in all conditions.

Experience of performing well in World Cups

Players
 Batting Average/ Wickets
Alyssa Healy50.58
Beth Mooney51.09
Ellyse Perry56.08
Megan Schutt23 innings - 34 wickets

(Stats from Women's World Cup 2025)

Australia have been a dominant force in World Cup cricket. The players like Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney Megan Schutt have the experience of delivering on the big stage and thus expect them to bring that winning mentality in this World Cup too.

Weakness

Absence of world-beater captain - Meg Lanning

Meg Lanning was Australia's captain till 2023 and till then, she was at the helm of their dominance. He was an inspirational leader who led the team full of superstars with great grace and authority, and it was under her that Australia won their last ICC title.

Now, Alyssa Healy has taken over, and though Australia are still dominant, they have started to lose some games in between. In the T20 World Cup 2024, they lost in the semifinal, which was quite a shock after dominating all the ICC titles in the last few years under Meg Lanning, and thus, they might miss their charismatic captain in this World Cup too.

Overall, in skill-wise, Australia hardly have any weakness, but the absence of a world-beater captain could hurt them.

Opportunities

To lift consecutive ICC Women's ODI World Cup titles and continue the rich legacy

This World Cup is another chance for this dominant Australia unit to keep the blemish of the T20 World Cup 2024 aside and bring their dominance back in an ICC tournament. 

They would also lift the ODI World Cup title on consecutive occasions if they go the full distance. They will get their hands on the ODI World Cup title for the eighth time and will further strengthen their rich legacy.

Threats

Injury-prone nature of some star players

Grace Harris has been ruled out of the tournament due to a calf injury. Ellyse Perry has been susceptible to injuries, too, and as a result, she has reduced her bowling quite a lot.

Australian captain Alyssa Healy was also out of action for almost a year, and Georgia Wareham, too, recently made a comeback against India after injury. Sophie Molineux is also coming into the World Cup after a long injury layoff following her knee surgery, and so Australia would have to be a bit careful during the long World Cup.

Australia's Best Probable XI  For Women's World Cup 2025

Alyssa Healy (C & WK)

Phoebe Litchfield

Ellyse Perry

Beth Mooney

Annabel Sutherland

Ashleigh Gardner

Tahila McGrath

Georgia Wareham

Sophie Molineux

Kim Garth

Megan Schutt

Expected Finish: Winner