🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.

The top summits have already been conquered.

This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

It needed as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.

It's difficult for their batters to maintain a record if never given the chance.

Finally, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to create her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 championship victory happened three months after her debut and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.

The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.

That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fall short again.

Whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort is debatable.

Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

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

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this knock came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it's been a frustrating experience because it seemed I lacked timing completely," stated Healy.

"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive nature kick in and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.

A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point Healy was underway.

"The possibility to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.

When she was out the team required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"To chase 330 is new territory so I am glad we have the assurance to do that now," stated Healy further.

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

Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship need to hear.

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

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

It was at that stage they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament.

So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wished she had played despite the injury.

However although she afterwards confessed those physical issues have delayed thoughts of retirement, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.

Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.