Watch: Alyssa Healy set the world record for the highest catch of a cricket ball in February 2019 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, shattering the previous Guinness World Record held by Kristan Baumgartner.
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Just a year before the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, Healy had the chance to etch her name in the history books. She took on the challenge of breaking the record of the highest catch of a cricket ball, and did so with flying colours. To take the record, she needed to beat the 62m mark set by Baumgartner in 2016. Healy did so at the first time of asking, catching a ball that went 65.2m up into the air.
On her second attempt, she caught a ball that went up 72.3m. Her best, though, was saved for the last as she caught a ball that was launched up to 82.5m in the air. That is also the current record, which is still held by Healy. The wicket-keeper was overjoyed with her exploits. “It was pure elation to get the Guinness World Records title,” she said. “I didn’t want everyone to come and not get the record so, when I’d secured it in the gloves, I carried on like a bit of a pork chop but overjoyed to break the record.”
A year later, Healy played a pivotal role as Australia beat India in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in front of a packed MCG. She was also part of the Australia side that clinched the 2023 edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, while also being on the winning side at the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand in 2022.
At present, she is leading the UP Warriorz in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League, and has led her side to the Eliminator, where they face Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians on March 24 at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai.
