🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to set fresh records.

The highest peaks have long been mastered.

We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Century Aids Australia to Record Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
• Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers

That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over five decades.

It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not afforded the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 efforts across formats.

The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the run of success.

That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.

Many contend the case for championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What's definite is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she was the highest scorer, but this performance came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing at all," said Healy.

"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts activate and you completely engage with the match."

Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.

One run resulted off the opening delivery and after that the right-hander was underway.

"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.

By the time she was out Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.

"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the belief to do that now," continued Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we know we can succeed."

That comment will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.

Over the past five days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this success following success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.

It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at an important competition.

So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

But while she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have delayed thoughts of retirement, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.

Victory in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.