After the most prolific year of her career, Beth Mooney reflects on the evolving landscape in women's cricket, Australia's recent World Cup setbacks, Alyssa Healy's impending retirement and the transition ahead, in an interview with Sarah Waris.
“There has to be some realism,” says Beth Mooney, reflecting on the 12 months which saw Australia lose both of their world titles.
Ever since Australia, the most successful team in global tournaments in cricket's history, bowed out in the 2025 World Cup semi-final, a question lingered in the background of their star-studded squad: how does a champion side, so accustomed to winning, process a defeat of that magnitude? Does it cut deeply and leave raised scar tissue? Or does it become just another part of elite sport, absorbed, analysed and moved on from?
In the immediate aftermath of India’s historic triumph, the focus quickly shifted to what the victory meant for the sport’s future in the country, and how it might reshape the broader sporting landscape. Yet it resurfaced when Mooney, a key member of that Australia side, reflected on the loss in a conversation with Wisden.com.
“It’s probably the media who feel Australia are always expected to win, that success has somehow come easily to us,” she says.
Australia’s record in global tournaments remains unmatched. They have lifted the ODI World Cup seven times and added six T20 world titles to their cabinet. Yet they no longer hold either crown, with New Zealand claiming the T20 World Cup title in 2024 and India securing the ODI title a year later.
“The last couple of tournaments have shown just how competitive the sport has become," says Mooney. "We haven’t reached where we wanted to be in the last two World Cups, and that has been disappointing. At the same time, it has reinforced how much constant hard work is required, and how quickly other teams are bridging the gap. That semi-final loss hurt, but it was also a reminder of the standards we need to keep lifting if we want to remain at the top.”
'I've given myself permission to be more assertive earlier'
Mooney, who made her international debut a decade ago, has been at the forefront driving those standards forward. 2025 marked a clear shift in her batting approach, with greater intent to take on bowlers and apply pressure earlier in the innings. She amassed 534 ODI runs across 12 innings at an average of 48.54, but it was not merely her consistency that stood out. For the first time in a calendar year, she crossed 200 runs while striking at over 100, finishing with a strike rate of more than run a ball. That surge included a blistering 138 off 75 deliveries against India in New Delhi.
In T20Is, her transformation was even more striking. Mooney scored 379 runs at an extraordinary average of 94.75, while operating at a strike rate of 155.34. Across her previous eight seasons, she had never struck beyond 134.43 in the format. It was also the first instance of a batter in women’s T20 internationals scoring over 300 runs in a calendar year while averaging above 55 and striking at over 150. She also ended the 2025/26 WBBL season with 549 runs at a strike rate of 137, ending as the top run-scorer for the fifth time in the last six editions of the competition.
Mooney attributed the change to a blend of technical refinement and a conscious adjustment in mindset.
“Technically, I have worked on being in better positions to access different areas of the field, particularly against spin and in the middle overs", she says. "But a big part of it has also been mindset, giving myself permission to be a little more assertive earlier in an innings rather than waiting too long to shift gears. Modern cricket demands that you keep the scoreboard moving, and I have tried to be more proactive in identifying scoring options while still playing to my strengths.”
'There is nothing like playing consistent, high-quality cricket under pressure'
Mooney, currently in India for the Women’s Premier League, where she is representing Gujarat Giants, the franchise she captained until 2024, embodies that adaptability more than most. Her scoring patterns in the tournament reflect her awareness of phases and conditions. Before the 2026 edition, she operated at a strike rate of 104.41 in the powerplay, accelerating sharply to 159.23 through the middle overs, before surging to 203.44 at the death, underlining her ability to shift gears as an innings progresses.
Beyond her own evolution as a batter, Mooney has also witnessed significant changes in the women’s game in India across the last three seasons, changes which have been accelerated by the introduction of the WPL and reflected in India’s recent World Cup success. When prompted about the tournament’s broader impact, she pointed to the value of sustained exposure to elite competition.
“There is nothing quite like playing consistent, high-quality cricket under pressure, and the WPL has provided that platform straight away for so many young Indian players,” Mooney says. “From the first season itself, you could see the talent, but now there is a lot more confidence in the way they go about their games. They are more willing to take responsibility, more aware of situations, and more comfortable performing in front of big crowds. We have already seen several strong all-round performances across teams, and that only comes from repeated exposure to this level of competition.”
Mooney also stressed the responsibility senior players carry to help their younger teammates navigate pressure-filled environments. Rather than overloading them with technical detail, the focus, she explained, is on composure and clarity.
“We encourage them to stay calm and composed, particularly in big moments, and to focus on their routines rather than the occasion itself,” she says.“Whether it is at the top of the mark or walking out to bat, it is about understanding what is required in that moment and keeping emotions in check. From our perspective, it is about setting an example and creating an environment where they feel supported to play their natural game.”
While guiding young players through the biggest women's franchise competition in the world is part of Mooney's job description, she balances that with facing concentrated attacks from the best bowlers in the world. Earlier this season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mooney began briskly, racing to 27 off 14 deliveries before being trapped in front by Shreyanka Patil. While Patil has not bowled extensively to her across formats, she has consistently kept Mooney quiet whenever the matchup has occurred.
Across 24 deliveries Patil has sent down to Mooney in T20 internationals, Mooney has managed only 18 runs, while in ODIs she has been dismissed once from the 11 balls she has faced, with nine of those deliveries resulting in dot balls. Though the sample size remains limited, the pattern has been enough for Mooney to single her out as the most challenging Indian bowler she has encountered. “Shreyanka Patil has continued to develop really well and has been very consistent with her skills,” she said.
'Dynamics will naturally shift' when Healy retires
That contest is set to resume when India travel to Australia for a white-ball series later this month, with Patil included in the T20I squad. The series has been billed as Australia taking on the world champions, a tagline that still takes some getting used to. It will also signal the close of another remarkable chapter in Australian cricketing history, with current captain Alyssa Healy set to retire following the series, bringing an end to a 16-year international career.
Mooney is conscious that Healy’s departure will inevitably alter the team’s internal dynamics.
“Someone like Alyssa has been an incredible servant to Australian cricket over a long period of time, not just with her performances but with her leadership and energy around the group,” she says. “When a figure like that isn’t there, the dynamics naturally shift a little. Other players step up in different ways, and new voices emerge, but the standards and culture she helped build remain. It is about continuing that legacy while allowing the next group of leaders to shape things in their own way.”
She also offered insight into the leadership style of incoming captain Sophie Molineux.
“Sophie is a wonderful character and a quality cricketer who would walk into any XI on talent alone. She is quite a calm and thoughtful leader, very clear in her communication, and someone who leads strongly through her actions. It is a great opportunity for her to take the team in the direction she believes in, and I think she will do an excellent job.”
Healy’s retirement will also bring a practical shift within the side. With Healy long established as Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper, Mooney’s opportunities behind the stumps had been limited. Across 212 international appearances, she has kept wicket on just 24 occasions. That is now set to change, with Mooney confirming she will take on the role for the foreseeable future.
“I would assume so, at least for the foreseeable future. It is a role I am very comfortable with and have done for a long time now, and I am always happy to contribute wherever the team needs.”
For Mooney, the next phase of Australian cricket is less about clinging to past dominance and more about adapting to a rapidly closing gap at the top of the women’s game. Under new leadership, the challenge is to evolve quickly enough to stay ahead of the curve. For a generation that defined sustained excellence, the next chapter will be about reinvention just as much as resilience. Realism, as Mooney put it, will be at the heart of that pursuit.
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