🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.

The top summits have been successfully scaled.

This is the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, those for the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.

• Healy's Ton Assists Australia to Record Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers

That it took up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

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

Ultimately, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 championship victory happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the successful run.

That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.

If this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.

Some will argue the reasoning behind final game tension. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

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

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm completely," said Healy.

"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.

A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the right-hander was on her way.

"The possibility to take the field and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, kind of motivated me," said Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.

When she was dismissed the team needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.

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

"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if necessary, we know we can succeed."

That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.

Over the past five days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this triumph following win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.

It was in the semi-finals they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at a major tournament.

So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

However although she later admitted those injuries have postponed consideration of ending her career, this championship is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as leader.

Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.