🔗 Share this article

It's tough for Australia to break new ground.

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

This is the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are all that remain for a squad that has won it all.

• Healy's Century Assists Australia to Record Chase
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers

The fact it required as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a testament to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.

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

In the end, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to deliver her newest gem.

Originally famous as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 World Cup win 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 setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.

That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort is debatable.

Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's clear is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance 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's been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm whatsoever," commented Healy.

"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive nature activate and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single came off the bowler's initial ball and after that Healy was underway.

"The possibility to take the field and face the challenge with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

When 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 happy we have the confidence to do that now," added Healy.

"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, should it happen, we know we can succeed."

Those words will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.

In recent days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this success succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at an important competition.

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.

However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is likely to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.

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