Alyssa Healy returns to action after injury setback

Alyssa Healy returns to action after a two-month injury layoff (Twitter)

Australian wicketkeeper, Alyssa Healy, was forced to retire during the fourth T20I match against India in December 2022 due to a calf injury. Consequently, she missed the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan as well. However, having recuperated from the injury, Healy has proclaimed that she is fully equipped and ready to storm the T20 World Cup "with all guns blazing".

Healy showcased her prowess with a phenomenal innings of 62 runs off 40 deliveries in Australia's three-wicket defeat to Ireland in a warm-up match on Wednesday, marking her first appearance on the crease since her calf injury during the fourth T20 against India. 

Healy's innings was characterized by 9 striking fours and a thunderous six at Stellenbosch's Coetzenburg Oval, but her brilliant performance was cut short when she was instructed to retire at the conclusion of the 14th over, with the aim of providing ample time for the middle-order to shine.

"I'm still a little bit dirty that I got retired, as you could see when I was walking off,"  Healy told reporters after the warm-up fixture against Ireland.

"I felt really good out there. I've only really had about four batting sessions before I came away so I'm chuffed that I could get out there and just play nice and straight, play the cricket shots that I want to play. It's coming together and hopefully, I can put it all together come Saturday," added Healy.

As the Vice-Captain of the Australian cricket team, Healy had previously kept wicket in the first practice game against India, but waiting an extra few days before reclaiming her spot at the top of the order was part of her calculated plan for her comeback.

"The whole process of this six, seven week recovery has been bit-by-bit easing back into it. To come in and just play a full game would have been a little bit ridiculous. And batting, it's just always pushing off and the running between wickets that we were worried about, so I got a couple of extra sessions under my belt before today and (now it's) all guns blazing," the Aussie opener concluded.

Prior to her injury, Healy had been an ever-present member of the T20I squad since 2013, making her absence during the six limited-overs matches against Pakistan on home soil last month all the more noticeable. At 32, Healy's return could not have come at a more opportune time for the Australian side, who are eager to secure a hat-trick of T20 World Cup victories.

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