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Aussie superheroes claim T20 World Cup

3 minute read

Star opener Alyssa Healy has revealed the Australian team drew inspiration from a comic book superhero during their successful T20 World Cup campaign.

ALYSSA HEALY
ALYSSA HEALY Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Believe it or not, Marvel Comics superhero Black Panther played a key role in Australia's successful T20 Women's World Cup campaign.

As the host nation and hot favourites, the Aussies carried a heavy burden of expectation into the tournament and ultimately delivered a fifth World Cup with an 85-run thumping of India in Sunday's final at the MCG.

Player-of-the-match Alyssa Healy revealed they did so with a little superhero inspiration.

"We knew that every single opposition was going to come really hard at us in every game and it was about how we could absorb that pressure and throw it back in their faces," Healy said.

"Me being the nerdy person in the team I referred to the Black Panther, whose suit absorbs energy from his opponents and when he's ready he forces it back upon them.

"We took that mentality into the tournament.

"Everyone came really hard at us early on and we held our nerve and got the job done.

"We were all Black Panthers out there."

Healy provided some superhero inspiration of her own with a swashbuckling 75 from 39 balls, including five sixes and seven fours.

She did so with a broad grin on her face throughout, the star opener thrilled by the bumper crowd of 86,174 fans at the 'G for the landmark occasion.

"I don't think anything is ever going to top that," she said.

"I hope there are girls in this side that are going to experience that for a long period of time.

"I never thought we would get the opportunity to do something as cool as that and play in front of almost 90,000 people at the MCG in a home World Cup final.

"It's a dream come true and I enjoyed every single minute."

It was the largest crowd for a women's sporting event in Australia and the highest-ever crowd figure for a women's cricket match anywhere in the world.

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