🔗 Share this article

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

The highest peaks have already been conquered.

We're talking about the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

That it took as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming 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 is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not provided the chance.

Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to create her latest masterpiece.

Then best known as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.

A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.

That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.

If this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.

Some will argue the reasoning behind final game tension. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What's clear is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"If you've observed me in training, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing at all," commented Healy.

"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.

A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from there the right-hander was underway.

"A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, kind of motivated me," said Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.

By the time she was removed the team needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.

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

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

That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this championship need to hear.

Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph following victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a significant event.

So strong is her resolve, she later said she wished she had played through the pain.

Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is expected to be her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as leader.

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