Mitchell Starc to miss Australia's third ODI against South Africa to watch wife Alyssa Healy in World Cup final

The reigning champions' pursuit of a fifth title will be boosted by the presence of the left-arm seamer at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

• Australia hold off South Africa to reach final
• India progress after England wash-out

Australia have allowed Mitchell Starc to skip the third one-day international against South Africa to return home to watch wife Alyssa Healy in the Women's T20 World Cup final.

Meg Lanning's side go in search for a fifth world title when they take on India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

The match comes less than 24 hours after the final ODI between Australia and The Proteas, scheduled for Saturday, is set to get underway. The hosts already have an unassailable 2-0 series lead after 74-run and six-wicket successes in Paarl and Bloemfontein.

Starc has been permitted to return home to attend the fixture, which will also allow him extra time to prepare for the white-ball games against New Zealand that begin on March 13.

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"It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Mitch to watch Alyssa in a home World Cup final and so we were happy to allow him to return home to support his wife and be part of a fantastic occasion," men's head coach Justin Langer said. 

"It is something we have been talking about for a while and, given Mitch has had a considerable workload in all three formats this summer, his heading home a couple of days ahead of the rest of the squad means he will have a chance to refresh ahead of our home and away one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand that will wrap up our season.

"We have plenty of fast-bowling options with us here in South Africa with Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson all sitting out our previous match in Bloemfontein, and Mitch's absence will offer one of them an opportunity to impress in Saturday's match."

A world record crowd in excess of 90,000 is expected for the final, which takes place on International Women's Day. Organisers are hopeful the world record for a major women's final, set at the 1999 football World Cup between United States and China, will be broken this weekend.