Australian cricketer Rachael Haynes has admitted that one particular incident during her career will haunt her forever. While Haynes is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished cricketers in Australian history, she revealed a missed opportunity involving pop princess Katy Perry that she can never live down.
Haynes, a seven-time World Cup winner across two formats and the vice-captain of Australia for five years, recently shared her story in an exclusive column for this month’s CODE Insight. While a quick Google search of her name would leave no doubt about her impact on Australian cricket, there is one particular event that constantly pops up and reminds her of an unforgettable missed opportunity.
It all happened during the 2020 T20 World Cup final. After Australia emerged victorious against India in front of a record-breaking crowd of 86,174 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Katy Perry took to the stage to perform. The global superstar had invited the winning team to join her on stage, but Haynes was conspicuously absent.
In a private interview, Haynes described her frustration at having to give a mandatory drug test while her teammates were enjoying the concert. She said, I’m never going to live this down. The infamous drugs test. Haynes had anticipated the test after leaving the ground and decided to take care of it quickly, assuming she would be done in time to join her teammates for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
However, things did not go as planned. Haynes had to wait for a couple of Indian players to take their tests before it was her turn. Time dragged on, and she ended up missing the chance to go on stage with Katy Perry. Even her team doctor, Pip, couldn’t contain her excitement and said, How amazing was that? Getting on stage with Katy Perry! But Haynes had to admit, I missed it, and the girls never let me forget it.
But the story takes another twist. The day after the victorious match, an offer was made to Haynes to appear on TV with Katy Perry on the Project TV show. Unfortunately, everyone forgot to inform Haynes until it was too late. While she was already checked into her flight back to Sydney, they made the call, leaving her in the departure lounge, filled with regret for missing yet another opportunity.
Despite being a highly accomplished cricketer with an extensive list of achievements, Haynes acknowledges that this particular incident will always be associated with her. She will forever be haunted by missing the chance to perform on stage with Katy Perry, even though an opportunity to make up for it was presented but not communicated to her in time.
Haynes remains positive, reflecting on her team’s historic win and the thrill of participating in the prestigious World Cup final. Yet, the missed experiences with Katy Perry will undoubtedly serve as a constant reminder of what might have been. This story showcases the human side of elite athletes, their disappointments, and the memorable moments they cherish forever.
As Haynes continues to make her mark in the cricket world, her missed opportunities will hopefully motivate her to seize every chance that comes her way. After all, life is full of surprises, and one never knows when the next exciting opportunity might knock on their door.
