WPL 2025: Alyssa Healy opts to skip third season to recover from foot injury

Alyssa Healy, who led the UP Warriorz in the first two editions of the Women's Premier League (WPL), confirmed her decision to skip the upcoming season of the franchise league following Australia's comprehensive win in the one-off Test against England at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, February 1.

The Australian captain played the one-off Test as a specialist batter, handing the wicketkeeping duties to Beth Mooney. She did keep wickets in the ODI series, having missed the T20I series as well as more games before that. Now, the 34-year-old is set to miss WPL 2025 due to a stress injury to her right foot.

The wicketkeeper-batter has been plagued by a recurring foot injury which flared up during the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year, and the following India's ODI tour Down Under in December. After Australia became the first team to complete a Women's Ashes whitewash, Healy said that her target is to recover fully ahead of the ODI World Cup in India later this year. However, she did not confirm anything about her availability after the marquee event.

"Unfortunately for me, I've got a couple of months feet up. I'm pretty bummed by that, but at the same time elated to have a little bit of downtime and try and get my body right. But I'm looking forward to sticking my feet in an ice bucket," Healy said after Australia won the Women's Ashes 16-nil.

"You get yourself right back playing and something else goes wrong. So (I am) just going to have a look at a couple of things and how I can be better, maybe a bit more disciplined in some areas, and make sure I'm right to go in particular for that ODI World Cup. It's going to be a huge load coming off not a lot of cricket for a lot of the girls in the winter. So just managing things to get right for that. But I'm looking forward to sticking my feet in an ice bucket for a bit," she added.

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WPL 2025 gets underway on February 14, with Gujarat Giants taking on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara.