🔗 Share this article

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

The top summits have long been mastered.

We're talking about the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.

• Healy's Ton Helps Australia to Historic Pursuit
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers

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

It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if not afforded the opportunity.

In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have resulted from 10 tries across formats.

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

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

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

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display is debatable.

Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's clear is this century was far harder to predict.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this innings came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it has been a disappointing period because it appeared I lacked timing at all," commented Healy.

"However when you step out on the field, your competitive instincts activate and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.

A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the right-hander was on her way.

"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.

By the time she was removed the team needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," added Healy.

"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if we do, we believe we can succeed."

Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.

Over the past five days a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.

During that phase they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition.

So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated despite the injury.

Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have pushed back plans to retire, this World Cup is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as leader.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.