Relieved Healy looks ahead to England

Alyssa Healy rates Australia's semi-final victory over the West Indies as one of the best she's been a part of at a World T20, but the in-form wicketkeeper-batter is fully aware there's one more big hurdle lying ahead of her team.

Australia sealed a spot in their fifth-consecutive World T20 final with a 71-run win on Thursday and they'll meet England in the decider after Heather Knight's team cruised to an eight-wicket triumph over India in the day's second match.

They dismissed hosts and reigning champions West Indies for just 71 runs after posting 5-142 – and it was overcoming the Windies' home ground advantage, their winning momentum and a huge, vocal crowd that pleased Healy the most.

"I'm really proud of that win," Healy said after the match. "I think to come here to the West Indies, to play in front of a crowd like that that's 99 percent going for the West Indies, we sort of thrive off that.

"We love being the underdogs. We don't get to do it too often, I think, being the number one ranked side. 

"So for us to go out there and play such a good performance today it was really special."

Healy was named player of the match for the fourth time in five matches after top-scoring with a 38-ball 46, while she took a catch and executed a run out and a stumping with the gloves.

Australia's raw emotion at securing a spot in the final was palpable on Thursday; the jubilation evident after being knocked out in the semi-finals of last year's one-day World Cup in the UK.

Image Id: D7D08BFFFD9F4219BAE89A8FBC3633E7 Image Caption: Australia players celebrate a wicket // Getty Images 

"I haven't seen people like that too much," Healy said of the emotion displayed by her teammates. 

"It just really showed what that win meant to this group. 

"I'd be lying if I sat here and said we haven't got scars after the last couple of World Cups, to be ranked number one in the world and not have a trophy is sort of something we were looking to rectify. 

"So for us to go out there and execute exactly what we wanted to do, yeah. It's just really pleasing.

"It's such a proud win and I think everyone deserves to be emotional and to be really happy about it."

That sentiment was echoed by vice-captain Rachael Haynes, who said the Australians wouldn't be getting too carried away with the semi-final victory given what awaits them on Saturday.

"It's a little bit of relief," Haynes said of her own reaction to the win. "But also I think within our team everyone was really excited out there.

"But we feel like there's a job to do as well, (the reaction) wasn't over the top but you can just tell the group is really determined to finish it off."

The win was a drastic turnaround in form after Australia limped to a 48-run loss to India in their final group game last Saturday, but Healy said it may have been the loss the team needed ahead of the play-offs.

"I said at the start of the tournament that everybody's got to have a loss," she said. "And in all seriousness I think that last round game was the perfect time for us to lose in that we were playing some really, really good cricket but you've got to have a crap game somewhere along the line."

There's one more hurdle for the Australians if they are to claim a fourth World T20 title, in the form of England.

Australia enjoyed a run of 13 consecutive T20 wins heading into that loss against India, and Healy says the 15-player squad is just as in sync off the field as they are on it.

"I'm not too sure I can put my finger on it," she said. "But it's just, there's something special. 

"There's a bit of an aura around this group at the moment and there's just something really special building and, look, we've got one more huge game to go. 

"And you know we'll be disappointed if we can't get over the line no matter our opponent. 

"But this is just a really special feeling about the group at the moment."

Australia will meet England in the World T20 final at Antigua's Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Saturday from 8pm local time (11am Sunday AEDT).

2018 ICC Women's World T20  

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

November 9: Australia beat Pakistan by 52 runs

November 11: Australia beat Ireland by nine wickets

November 13: Australia beat New Zealand by 33 runs

November 17: Australia lost to India by 48 runs

November 22: Semi-final: Australia beat West Indies by 71 runs

November 24: Final: Australia v England, Sir Vivian Richards Ground