In a fairytale ending to a brilliant One Day International (ODI) career, the Australian captain Alyssa Healy He scored a breathtaking 98 off 158 runs with his husband against India at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval on Sunday. Mitchell Starc was proudly watching the ODI ride off into the sunset from the commentary box in emphatic style. The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman’s farewell innings was spectacular, hitting 27 fours and two sixes in a masterclass of aggressive batting that left the Indian bowling attack.
The honor guard comes before Alyssa Healy’s final ODI knock
The emotion was palpable even before Healy took the strike. He came out to open the innings along with Phoebe Litchfield third ODIThe Indian women’s team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, formed a guard of honor to acknowledge the retiring great’s contribution to women’s cricket. BCCI Women shared pictures of the tribute on social media, capturing the moment Harmanpreet shook hands with her long-time rival as Healy walked to the crease.
#TeamIndia Australian captain Alyssa Healy, who played her last ODI match, was given a guard of honor before the start of the game today 👏👏#AUSWIND pic.twitter.com/Vb9dg1dfhE
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) March 1, 2026
The gesture expressed the deep respect Healy commands in the cricketing world, one of the most influential figures in the sport’s growth at the highest level over 16 years.
Alyssa Healy reaches 150 off just 95 balls
After reaching his century in just 79 balls, Healy accelerated and hit 150 off 95, tormenting the Indian bowlers with his signature power and accuracy. The Australian skipper was destined for a double century before Sneh Rana finished with a towering full toss in the 37th minute.
His 158-run knock took Australia to a commanding position of 3-281, with only 400 or more available. His career added 3,777 ODI runs at an average of 37.02 includes eight centuries and 19 fifties in 126 matches.
Also WATCH: Alyssa Healy receives a Guard of Honor from the Indian players in the final ODI
A dedicated audience of Healy watched intently throughout his innings. Mitchell Starc, Australia’s pace leader since 2016 and Healy’s husband, was posted in the Channel Seven commentary box. Cameras captured the moment Healy brought up his century, with Starc quietly emotional as the stage rose – in contrast to the roaring cheers of the Hobart crowd.
The pair’s cricketing journey together spans decades, having first met as nine-year-olds playing against each other in club cricket before becoming teammates in 10 to 16 representative cricket. They married in April 2016, and Starc has consistently supported his wife throughout her career, famously leaving the Australia camp in early March 2020 to watch the Man of the Match performance in the T20 World Cup final against India.
We present the video:
Alyssa Healy century in the last ODI!
And no one is prouder than Mitch Starc in the commentary box 😊#AUSWIND pic.twitter.com/Ey27zCbPt2
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) March 1, 2026
Earlier in the series, Starc was spotted in the commentary box during the first ODI in Brisbane, wearing a stylish outfit alongside the former cricketer. Lisa Sthalekar As Healy’s farewell streak begins. His presence throughout the ODI leg underscored the personal significance of this moment for cricket’s most admired power couple.
When Healy announced his retirement in January, Stark shared a photo of himself sitting on the lawn with a thumbs-up, accompanied by a brief but poignant caption: “I’m proud of you.” Later, he shared on Instagram “I’m proud of you” with a heart emoji, a message that resonated strongly with fans around the world.
Reflecting on his wife’s evolution as a player, Stark has previously highlighted how she has changed since taking over the captaincy from Meg Lanning at the end of 2023. “He watches a lot more cricket than I do. I mean, he’s also the captain. He’s a bit more connected to all that stuff, probably when he takes over the captaincy he takes a bit of a turn and puts his personal stuff aside and tries to push the team to achieve all that potential.”
This article was originally published here WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.
