Test Match Special - How Australia won the 2013 Women's World Cup

Episode Date: October 18, 2025

Alison Mitchell is alongside Australia all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar to look back at Australia's sixth World Cup title, beating the West Indies in the final in India.Sthalekar retired on top having announced her decision to step away from the game after the tournament and discusses her sides route to the final.

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I'm Chip Klanixel, host of Resilient Edge, a business vitality podcast paid and presented by Deloitte. Learn how the right data strategy can turn the data your company has into real ROI. Available now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio Fire. Live. Hello, this is Alison Mitchell with a special episode of the TMS podcast. We'll be looking back at the 2013 Women's World Cup in India, where Australia beat West Indies to win their sixth title. I'll be joined by Australia all-round Elisa Stelaker, who had a dream ending to her career, retiring from the game following that World Cup win. She tells us about her experience of the tournaments, and we

explore how the global women's landscape had evolved. You're listening to the TMS podcast from See Radio 5 Live. Lisa Stalaker, hello, welcome to you. Tell me when you flew out to India for that World Cup, 2013, what did you expect on arrival? What did you find when you got there? Yeah, it was, we had already traveled a fair bit already to India. We had a series, I think, 2011, or maybe early 2012,

where we had a seven-match series against them. So it was all about preparing. a group of young players because the likes of Elisa Healey, Elise Perry, a lot of those girls were traveling to India for the first time. So heading to India for the 2013 World Cup, we felt that we were prepared, but there was that slight issue with Pakistan being part of it and us having to move.

So all the games were supposed to be in Mumbai, and we were in the pool against Pakistan. So we had to go out to Katak, And that caused a few nightmares, last minute, fixturing, all of those type of things occurred. But one thing is for sure, and having had a number of tours already to India, for some reason, things may not be finalised,

but come the day before or two days out, it's all there, everything's done. A stadium is built within a week, and away you go. That's right. It was matches, I remember, not being finalized. until five days before the tournament started. So just to recap on the format for this World Cup, eight teams, group stage and knockouts,

with the top three teams in each group advancing to a super six stage. So it was Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, West Indies and India. Globally, the matches in the group stage were watched by over 20 million people. Did you get a sense when you're playing those group matches in India that the tournament was being widely followed?

What are your memories of crowds at the grounds about how widely it was known that this tournament was taking place? Yeah, unfortunately, you didn't get a sense of that whilst we were there. And like I said, because we were at a different part, our group stage matches. And I remember playing Pakistan in the stadium that they were actually staying in the stadium. So security, no fans were really allowed.

I think a couple of ball kids, ball girls were allowed to kind of participate. But that was about it. And then the other ground that we played in Kentucky was like a third tier type ground. You know, there's no stadiums. There's nothing for no infrastructure for fans to really come. So it wasn't until we got to the Super Six stage that we moved. to Mumbai and started to then start playing at CCI. I think there was a ground called Middle Income Ground as well.

So, again, not a well-known ground, not a ground with infrastructure, difficult for family and friends that had kind of flown over to watch, even getting there, navigating around Mumbai. But I know that obviously there were a number of games that were televised. and India started to do well. England kind of bundled out. They got beaten by Sri Lanka. So we were kind of tuning in.

I think we were flying the day that England got beaten and we were all in the airport watching it on TV. I think there was about three or four teams. So apologies, England. We were all cheering on for Sri Lanka. But that's what happens. You like the smaller countries to get up over the bigger nations. Yeah, talking about the coverage of that World Cup, so a progression from 2009, that first one that was under the ICC's auspices. By 2013, the final plus 10 matches were televised. BBC Radio had a full commentary team at the events to cover all of England's matches.

And so ICC investing much more fully in the televising. I was part of that TV commentary team. We were very much based out of that Brebon Stadium at the Cricket Club of India Ground. in Mumbai where all the televised matches were taking place. But yes, it was a tournament of upsets in many ways. You mentioned England being beaten by Sri Lanka, but even yourselves had a little bit of a slip, didn't you, during the tournament? Yeah, a lot of people accused us because it basically came down to, I think, New Zealand and England were playing against each other,

and we were playing against West Indies on the same day. and unfortunately we had a mishap we had gone through undefeated we had close match against England i think we won by one run or two runs if i'm not you know corrected and um yeah we did have a mishap against the west indies side which meant that they actually went through and um i believe the result was passed on to both new zealand and england whilst they were playing their game and let's just say they weren't happy campers and i think on so social media, a lot of people came back at us saying that we had thrown the match, that we had ensured that England or New Zealand weren't able to make the finals.

I remember Catherine Fitzpatrick, and I think it was a tough tour as well. So we had just, we had changed our head coach. I don't know if you can remember, Ali, like we had moved on our head coach probably six months out of the T20 World Cup in, sorry, yeah, the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. So Catherine Fitzpatrick came in and there was those two ICC events literally within six months. So as a group, we had gone through a lot anyway. And I remember at the end of that game, Catherine Fitzpatrick basically said we got off

the bus and before we did, she said, okay, everyone drop your gear off and we were staying at the Taj in Mumba. and she said, drop your gear off and meet me at the bar. And basically, she bought the first few rounds of drinks. We just needed to have a night of, it doesn't matter, it's a game of cricket, let's move on, we've had a lot going on, it's probably the loss that you kind of need in a tournament like an ICC event where you get a bit of a wake-up call. But yeah, we were able to kind of move on from that.

And in the end, we played the West Indies in the final. so it was important that we did kind of park it and move on. Tell me a little bit about your team in 2013. You've alluded to the changing coach, but tell me about the captaincy and the leadership as well. Yeah. So Jody Fields, who had just kind of come back from some terrible hamstring injuries. I think she had two surgeries in the end where the hamstring was ripped off the bone

and she kind of got through the first recovery and was close to coming back to play and then did it again. So for her to kind of come back and lead the side in not only the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka the year before, but also the 50 over World Cup. Who else? We had Megan Shoot, who was playing her first.

I think she was a leading wicket-taker for Australia at that tournament. So just a young, young, bright kid who kind of burst onto the scenes. Holly Furling was a young fast bowler. I think she, I distinctly remember, maybe it was Jenny Gunn. I remember playing against England and she bowled with some heat. This is before she's had a few injuries and reconstructed her bowling action and probably lost a few Ks as well because of it.

But bowled a really good bumper and then bowled a great Yorker and got her out. And she looks so innocent bowling with the little white ribbon tiny pony tail. And then she would bowl these venomous deliveries. She still does, Ali. She still does. God bless her cotton socks. So we had a Lisa Healy who was kind of waiting in the wings, didn't play a game. And then obviously Meg Lanning, who was still trying to find her feet at international cricket, if you can imagine that. Amazing, wasn't it?

Now, getting to the final, how did you feel when you got there? because you had already had that defeat to West Indies in the group stage. Did that have an impact at all on your approach? No, obviously we learned some lessons from that. And obviously we were playing in a final that we felt comfortable with. The Australian team has always been very successful. Once we kind of get to finals, we kind of know how to kind of get across the line more often than not. Yeah, we had rectified the areas that we needed to change.

And I guess the real question mark was a lot around Elise Perry because she didn't play in the previous match. So she was carrying an injury and it was all about how she would cope in the final. It was literally roll the dice and let's hope that she can survive. It was a bad ankle injury, wasn't it? Yes. Actually, her partnership with Jody Fields at the end of our innings enabled us to get up to, I can't remember what the score was, two.

259 for seven. Yeah. So in the end, for back then, that was a decent score in a final. So her innings was important. But then when she stood at the top of the mark and she, what, took about three goes, three goes to kind of figure out. In the end, I can't remember exactly what the injury, she snapped something. Fractured ankle.

Yeah, there you go. Thank you. And it was basically her figuring out, how can I run and not cause too much pain to be able to bowl her over? And then obviously she got the key wicket of Stefani Taylor and then all of a sudden the landslide of wickets started to happen. But there was some hairy moments there when she was running in and was like, oh, because we need to get her out. We need to get dotting out. We need to get those key players out. and I was going to say when that decision was taken that Perry was going to play

did you know that her ankle was broken can you recall a bit at that time no so she didn't have a scan or anything like that to know that it was fractured so I think she probably fractured it during that time it was maybe um it was close like there was obviously a lot of issues going on with it and they were just managing her but when she took off for that run to to start her run up. I think that's when the real damage happened. And I remember after the final, we were doing a lot of interviews because by the time we finished and did all of that,

it was early morning in Australia. So there were a lot of interviews in the morning. I remember her just kind of lifting the leg up, like lying upside down doing interviews on radio, you know. But she got through it just shows the type of athlete. And she's proven that over the next period of time that she's able to. kind of go push through pain barriers and get the job done.

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It almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head. Tough enough for you? Subscribe to History's Toughest Heroes wherever you get your podcast. The fact that she was playing full stop, but yeah, 25 runs with the bats, big partnership, 50-run partnership with Jody Fields to get you up to that 259 for 7 total, and then picking up three wickets in that run chase

to restrict West Indies and ultimately help you win the match. Three for 19 off 10 overs. It was just a performance of immense courage. But what about you, Lisa? First of all, paint the picture of you playing in a World Cup in India, And that resonance for you personally because, of course, India is the country of your birth. Yeah, and to be fair, playing in Mumbai at Bradmore Stadium or CCI

was really special to me because that's where my father first went to watch the Indian men's side and first fell in love with the game when he was a young boy. So the fact that I was playing in Mumbai, playing at a ground that had significance for my first, father who taught me and made me fall in love with the game. And I had known also coming into that World Cup that that was it. I was going to play the World Cup and I was going to call my time on international cricket. I'd only told my immediate family and then probably three friends. Before the tournament.

So no current players knew, no past players new. Sarah Ailey was won Corinne Hall, so I think you might have seen them in the coverage they'd come out to India to watch. And unfortunately my family couldn't come over at the time. So, yeah, there was a nice ending of a career, but to kind of place it in India at that ground. And the real hope was that we'd lift the World Cup and we had won the 2011 Ashes back. after a long time since 2005 when we lost it. We had won the T20 World Cup in September 2012. And the last kind of mantle, the trophy that we needed to kind of fulfill the cabinet

was the 2013, the 50 over World Cup. And I felt if we were able to do that, it would be a nice time to leave the game and then hand the baton on to the next generation. Because like I mentioned, Lisa Healy was literally sitting on the sidelines. and she wasn't playing, and we know the immense talent that she had and has shown that ever since she got into the team and played regularly. So, yeah, so that was kind of the thoughts and the desire to kind of win in India

for personal reasons, but also for the future and the progression of the Australian team. So in the course of that match then, you're in the field, you're bowling, you get two big wickets as well, don't you, the captain and Deandra Dotting. special were those moments? Yeah, really special because we had played a practice match against West Indies prior to the World Cup and then even I remember playing them in Australia and Deandra Dotton has hit hit me for some large sixes. So Lisa Healy had a lot of fun giggling and laughing going, I remember the furthest six I've

ever hit and that was off your bowling Lisa. So there was a lot of like, oh, we're putting Lisa. onto balls to Deandra Dotten. She's going to take her down the ground. So thankfully, because there were a number of matches on CCI, the pitch started to turn nicely for me. So I was able to get the ball to turn. Now the field is on the boundary for Dotting then,

deep midwicket. Like two fielders on the deep midwicket boundary as well as long on. There's the three allowed back in the power play. She goes back. She's bold. Now is that it? Australian Musfield. They have one hand now firmly on the World Cup because the dangerous Dotten has departed

and it's Lisa Stelaker who gets the wicket. Dotting is bold out for 22. And also I think Marissa Aguilera, the captain, I think I bowled her as well. So to be able to contribute that way because I didn't necessarily contribute as much as I would have liked with the bat in hand was nice and to get a big wicket like that.

It was just the, you know, the nice last laugh, right? I got her in a final. Stalaker comes in cap on bowls and there's a bold. Played all round it, did Melissa Aguilera. And Stelaka, the change in bowling has worked for the Australian. She was looking dangerous. And she just played round a ball that was slightly turning in, off Stump his rock back.

She looks to the heavens. And do you recall your final act on the field in international cricket, because West Indies are nine down, but they've only got 145 runs on the board at this stage. And Julie Hunter comes running against a bowl. What happened next? Who was the batter? I can't even remember.

Remain smart. Yeah, she clipped it. And I had always, majority of the time in my cricket career for Australia had fielded at midwicket. And just anticipated well, saw that she was turning the ball, started moving to my right. was in the air and dove to my right to take a nice catch.

And it was probably good because the game was kind of drifting. And, you know, when you know what the result is and everyone's just hanging on, everyone just wants it to finish. And so instead of it being the last ball and oh, yay, we won, it was nice to kind of finish on a high like that. So to be able to take a catch like that and win the World Cup was really special. And, yeah, I guess the surprise and shock once it hit, my hand and still stayed in my hand and then everyone rushing in and celebrating it was it was

great in hunter bowls and this is lobbed towards midwicked diving catch one-handed and what a way to finish for the Australians and lisa stalaker they come together in a huddle at midwicket where the catch was taken the diving catch right-handed in australia have bowled out the west indies for 145 they're joined by the rest of their teammates who rush out onto the field, and indeed it is a deserved sixth World Cup for Australia. They win by 114 runs. How hurt were you as a team to have lost out and not made the final of the 2009 World Cup previously on your home soil?

And how big a motivating factor was that to get the trophy back? Ali, I've forgotten 2009. I've just erased that whole year because we lost that semi-final as well at the the Oval in the T20 World Cup against England, which everyone says was the kind of the birth of women's cricket, you know, because it was such a wonderful chase. 2009 wasn't a great year for us, but so many lessons were learnt. Yeah, it hurt a lot. I think the facts, I mean, we were going through, so we won the 2005 World Cup.

We had some immense global talent, people that have obviously been eligible. elevated into the ICC Hall of Fame, Belinda Clark, Catherine Fitzpatrick, Karen Rolton was there. So it was the changing of the guards. And a lot of things didn't quite go our way in the 2009 World Cup. And internally, we had our issues, players versus coaching staff. Things were unraveling pretty quickly as that tournament progressed. And it was no surprise that we had our worst performance ever in a women's World Cup during that year. And to do it in front of family and friends, yeah, that stung.

And there was a lot of soul searching. There was a lot of reviews done, a deep dive into what actually happened. And then to be able to turn it around and win the 2010 World Cup in the West Indies with that same group. Yeah, T20 World Cup was important step forward. yet there was still a lot of things that we were still kind of figuring out at the time. But yeah, 2009 shaped us to be able to be ready for 2013. You ultimately played in three ODI World Cups, winning two of them in 2005 and 2013.

How would you describe the legacy of the 2013 win for Australian women's cricket? Yes. It's a stone in a path that is quite rich with the Australian women's cricket side. When you look at the success that we've had throughout women's World Cups, it's immense. So to be able to be part of that, be part of that history, we're just one part of it. the, you know, the teams of Marge Jennings, Belinda Clark in 1997 in India. And, you know, you look at the players that have come before you and to kind of to be able to add another piece to that puzzle, really, is really special.

So I think, you know, we saw, and I mentioned, you know, the likes of a Megan shoot come through, Elisa Heel. waiting in the wing so therefore the next tournament meant so much to her and obviously 2017 the Australian team didn't win so that kicked them on for the next one in New Zealand so every every World Cup has its place they're all very unique because you're always playing with different players different support staff different conditions different oppositions but yeah very proud of being part of that 2013 World Cup because we've seen some absolute rock stars come out of the game from that group.

And you're very familiar with cricket in India having covered the IPL, having worked there domestically, the rise of the WPL now. Can you imagine what might have happened if India had been a successful team at that home world cup in 2013? Because we so often focus on the team that wins, but almost it felt as significant that the India team weren't, able to be on the big stage in their own World Cup. Yeah, and I mean, I feel for Mattali Raj and Julian Gosswami probably the most

because you look at their careers and outstanding, but they've never held an ICC trophy aloft, which I feel sad for them because they almost deserved it. If India had won that 2013 World Cup, I get a sense that the WPL would have been born a couple of years after that. I think we would have seen more major events in India. We would have seen the growth of women's cricket accelerate even quicker than what we've probably witnessed.

But that's how big and how powerful India, the fans, BCCI, and what they can do to elevate the sport if they want to, when they want to, when they think the time is right. and without India winning a big event, it's probably held the game back and held the Indian women's side back a few years. But that's not to say, given India women's performance over here in England

this summer shows that they're on the right trajectory for this one coming up. And to finish with, 2013, then you've taken the winning catch, you're tearing around the outfield celebrating. You know that that's your last act. the Australian team. When did you tell your teammates? I remember Elise Perry coming over during the game and she said, how many overs have you got left? I go, I'm done. And she went and I must have had a smile on my face like meant I'm actually

done done. And she goes, what do you mean done? I said, I bowled my 10 overs. And she's like, oh, okay. So that was kind of probably the first time I gave it away a little bit. I did tell the media manager the night before the game, saying, just to give you a heads up, I'm going to announce it, can you keep it to yourself? So to give her time to maybe write whatever she needed to. But it was literally within half an hour. So I think presentation was getting done the stage and all of the medals. And I literally went up to Julie Savage, who was the chair of selectors and I just said just to let you know that's it and she goes I was wondering when because back then it was it was normal for an Australian player to call their time because after a

World Cup we always went to England for an ashes so it was almost like you retire you have kind of go to England have you have your trip so to speak win the ashes more often than not yeah but I said no I think I couldn't think of um the the idea of doing another pre-season. So I was like, no, I'm very happy to go out now. So, yeah, the half an hour out. And then once we did all of the medal ceremony, all of that, got into the change rooms,

and then Julie announced and said Lisa's got something to say. And was there much emotion at that point from you? Yeah, of course. I mean, it's been my life. It's, you know, even though you know it's coming and you're happy that it's coming to the end. It's still quite sad to kind of think, oh, that's it. Like, I'm not going to be in this change room again as one of their teammates.

So, yeah, it was a quick little announcement. And then it was like, let's move on and let's enjoy and celebrate. Lisa, great to hear your stories. Thanks for sharing your memories of the 2013 World Cup. No worries. Anytime, Ellie. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup featuring the stars of women's cricket Smash straight back down the ground, this girl.

Eight teams. Lakes the Cap. One winner. Australia to lift the World Cup trophy. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. She does not fear a thing. Hear the action with Radio 5 Sports Extra. And keep up to date with the TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.

No, it's Ray Winston. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 4, History's Toughest Heroes. I've got stories about the pioneers, the rebels, the outcasts who define tough. And that was the first time anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on. It almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head.

Tough enough for you? Subscribe to History's Toughest Heroes wherever you get your podcast. You know.