🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are the only things left for a squad that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Century Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

The fact it required up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have represented Australia over five decades.

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

In the end, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her most recent brilliance.

Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 attempts across formats.

The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the successful run.

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

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.

Certain people claim the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What is certain is this century was far harder to predict.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"For those following me in the nets, it was a challenging time because it seemed my form was missing at all," stated Healy.

"But once you take the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you just lock into the contest."

Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that Healy was in motion.

"An opportunity to take the field and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

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

Once she was removed Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Pursuing 330 is new territory so I'm pleased we have the confidence to do that now," continued Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we are confident we can achieve it."

Those words will be the last rival teams at this championship want to hear.

Over the past five days a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this victory coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.

It was at that stage they left last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.

So strong is her resolve, she later said she regretted not playing through the pain.

Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.

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