🔗 Share this article

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

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

This is the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and once went nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a squad that has accomplished all there is.

• Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Historic Pursuit
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Wicket-Takers

That it took until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.

It's difficult for their hitters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.

In the end, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a chance to produce her latest masterpiece.

Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven global championships have followed from 10 attempts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.

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

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fall short again.

Whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated.

Some will argue the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What is certain is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"For those following me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing completely," commented Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your fighting spirit take over and you simply focus on the contest."

Healy's competitiveness has always been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was on her way.

"The possibility to take the field and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

When she was out the team needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.

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

That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this tournament want to hear.

In recent days a belief they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.

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 first time at a significant event.

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

However although she afterwards confessed those physical issues have postponed consideration of ending her career, this championship is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as leader.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.