Winning the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20, Australia women’s wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy and her husband, Australian men’s left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, created a very unique record.
Mitchell Starc won the Player of the Tournament award in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup that was won by the co-host Australia. Starc finished the tournament as the joint leading wicket-taker (22 wickets).
In April 2016, Starc married with the Australia women’s wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy, niece of former Australian men’s wicketkeeper Ian Healy. Since then, they became the third married couple to play Test cricket – after Roger Prideaux & Ruth Westbrook (England) and Guy de Alwis & Rasanjali Silva (Sri Lanka).
Recently, after Australia women secured the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 trophy, Alyssa Healy won the Player of the Tournament award after finishing as the leading run-scorer (225 runs) in the tournament. Before that, Healy won four Player of the Match awards in this tournament.
With this latest achievement, Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy become the first couple to win Player of the Tournament awards at an ICC tournament.
In the final of 2018 WWT20 on last Sunday (November 24), after bundling out their opponent England women by just 105 runs, Australia women comfortably chased the target in 15.1 overs after losing only two wickets.
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During the post-match presentation ceremony, the Player of the Tournament award winner Healy said, “Lucky I got my golf bag so that I can put some extra stuff. The girls played beautifully tonight. Really proud. A team effort. I’ve just really enjoyed the freedom at the top and play some fearless cricket. Looking forward to play in the Big Bash and see if I can continue. Very special. We worked really hard to build on that culture. With the group’s that we’ve got there’s many more to come.
“(Winning World T20) 2010 is still my favourite, but this one might top it. It’s an amazing place to tour and the people here are really friendly. It’s a fun place to tour.”
