Alyssa Healy out of WBBL, faces race to be fit for India series

The Sydney Sixers said on Saturday that Australia’s captain would not play for them again this tournament after suffering a left knee injury. Australia’s three-match ODI series begins four days after the WBBL final, leaving Healy in serious doubt for international duties.

Healy couldn’t handle the Sixers’ loss in the last outing against the Brisbane Heat due to his body management and had entered the tournament with a foot injury that ended his T20 World Cup early. Australia host India in three ODIs, before traveling to New Zealand over Christmas for three more one-day matches.

It is understood Healy will be assessed in the coming fortnight ahead of those two series, with the squad to be announced next weekend.

The injury is not believed to be serious enough to give rise to any doubts about the multi-format Ashes, which begins with an ODI in North Sydney on January 12.

Healy had warned upon his return from his foot injury that he might need attention over the summer.

“There are higher powers sitting above who are quite vocal about what can and cannot happen, which I completely understand,” Healy said earlier this month. “Being captain is also a pretty important role for me. I want to be available for as much of the summer as possible.

“I’ve barely played a game for the Sixers over the last two seasons, and it’s a place where I really enjoy playing cricket. I want to be available for as many games as I can, but the reality is that might not be the case.

“It will be about controlling pain, function and what I can and cannot do [all summer]. “The way I come out of games will also be very important.”

Healy’s injury is a blow to the Sixers, who face the prospect of needing to win their final three games to reach the WBBL final.

If Healy misses international matches, Tahlia McGrath is expected to captain again after doing so at the World Cup.