Women’s T20 World Cup final: Australian vice-captain misses Katy Perry performance

While most of Australia’s World Cup-winning squad were on stage with Katy Perry, soaking up a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the superstar, Rachael Haynes was nowhere to be seen.

Katy Perry performs on stage while pregnant with the Australian women's cricket team after the Women's T20 World Cup final match between Australia and India at the MCG in Melbourne, Sunday, March 8, 2020. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, IMAGES TO BE USED FOR NEWS REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE WHATSOEVER, NO USE IN BOOKS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AAP

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While her teammates were celebrating their incredible T20 World Cup final win by singing along with Katy Perry on stage in the middle of the MCG, the Australian cricket team’s vice-captain Rachael Haynes was conspicuously absent.

She was off doing a drug test.

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Something missing? Australian vice-captain Rachael Haynes missed out on this iconic moment. Picture: Getty

She missed what is fast becoming an iconic moment of the tournament because she needed to do the test.

“I just have to live vicariously through my teammates now who tell me it was amazing,” she said with a laugh.

“It was just one of those things, I had to go and do the test and unfortunately when you’ve got to go someone’s got to watch you go.

“I knew (the drug testing) was going to happen, but I did need to go to the bathroom and when you need to go to the bathroom, you’ve got to go with a tester, it was just really bad timing.

“I got stuck in there because once you sign in, you can’t leave and I was stuck in there for about 40 minutes I reckon.”

Rachael Haynes (L) did manage to celebrate the victory before being whisked away. Picture: AAP

“I am absolutely spewing about that,” Haynes said.

“I saw the photos ... I think the girls had a great time up there and it was awesome she allowed them to go up”.

But fear not, she did manage to have her fair share of memorable moments celebrating with her teammates.

“One of the moments I really loved was having everyone’s friends and family in the changeroom after the game,” Haynes said.

“To play in a home World Cup is one thing, but to get the opportunity to play on the MCG in front of 86,000 people and have that moment afterwards where people who’ve been a part of that journey get to share it with you that’s really special and that’s something I will never forget.”

Molly Strano (L) was the after-party MVP according to Haynes. Picture: Getty

The Australian team celebrated their 85-run win by staying at the MCG well into the wee hours of the morning.

Haynes revealed Molly Strano – who was brought into the squad for the injured Tayla Vlaeminck at the start of the tournament – was the biggest entertainer at the after-party.

She said there had been a fair amount of pressure leading into the World Cup for the Aussies to dominate their opposition in the group stages.

“They’re the types of memories you’ll carry with you for a lifetime,” she said.

But she’d also be forgiven for taking some time to get over missing out on the “Perry good” post-match singalong.

Originally published as Women’s T20 World Cup final: Australian vice-captain misses Katy Perry performance