The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for Australia to set fresh records.
The top summits have already been conquered.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Hundred Aids Australia to Unprecedented Chase
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers
The fact it required up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.
It's difficult for their batters to hold a record if not afforded the possibility.
In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated.
Certain people claim the case for final game tension. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this performance followed six innings in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm whatsoever," commented Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and after that the batsman was underway.
"A chance to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.
Once she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the confidence to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we believe we can do it."
These statements will be the last competing nations at this championship need to hear.
During the last week a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this victory coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.