From Cricket Rivals to Soulmates: Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy’s Journey from 9-Year-Old Opponents to Husband and Wife

Mitchell Starc T20I Retirement: Two of the most renowned cricketers in Australia, Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy, have a love story that started way before they became famous. They were both children in the relationship and the relationship was formed in the cricket field and hence the relationship was formed based on a sports competition that was to lead to a lifetime relationship.

Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy Childhood Connection

The two met when they were only nine years old, playing in the Northern District Junior Cricket Association in Sydney. Starc was a wicketkeeper at the time and Healy was on the other end of the field, not knowing what was about to become of them.

They had been friends and played and competed together, and then their friendship grew to romance. Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy went the next step by getting engaged in 2015. The following year (April 2016) the duo got married in a secret but rejoiced affair.

A Supportive Partnership on and off the Field

Their marriage was a reflection of the values they possessed on the cricket pitch like dedication, understanding, and support. One such moment was in March 2020, when Mitchell Starc opted to miss the final ODI between Australia and South Africa. His wish was to see Alyssa Healy playing in the final of the Women T 20 world cup.

That move was worth making, with Alyssa Healy registering a match-winning 75 in only 39 balls against India. Her emotional knock carried Australia to the title and it was a historic day in their career. “It was special to have him there,” Healy said after the match.

Alyssa Healy’s Cricketing Career

Alyssa Healy was born on 24 March 1990, in Queensland, and she grew up in a family of cricketers. Her father Greg Healy and her uncle Ian Healy are both Queensland players, and still one of the most iconic wicketkeepers in Australia. Alyssa followed them and made her mark in the sport.

She was called upon in January 2011 to make her Test debut against England, where she played four Tests, scoring 201 at an average of 33.50. The highest score she has in the format is 58. Her last Test came in July 2017, again against England.

Alyssa Healy made her debut in an ODI in February 2010. In 73 matches she has hit 1,638 runs and a highest score of 133. Her last ODI was against Sri Lanka in October 2019.

Her T20I record is quite more impressive. She had made 2,060 runs in over 100 matches in Australia, since making her debut in 2010 against New Zealand. Her 148 off 61 balls is the highest individual score that has ever been made in T20I.

Alyssa Healy’s Records and Achievements

The values they lived on the cricket field, of commitment, understanding and support demonstrated in their marriage. This was clear in March 2020 when Mitchell Starc chose to miss Australia’s final ODI against South Africa so he could support Alyssa Healy in her final of the Women’s T20 world cup.

The Alyssa Healy effect is more than statistics. Alyssa Healy was the leading female aggregate scorer in the 2018 Women T20 World cup and was the Player of the Series. She is an aggressive and fearless batsman, which has recalibrated thinking for females within the game of cricket. 

She also holds the record for the longest catch at an incredible 82.5 meters in the game of cricket, and when it comes to ICC events, she holds the record for the fastest fifty in an ICC event (male and female).

This kind of consistency is already paying off as she was awarded ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and 2019. Mitchell Starc sees her successes with pride and he is happy with the level of contribution she has made to female success in Australian cricket. 

Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy are not only cricket legends, but they are a power couple who empower each other while proving that sport and love can coexist.

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