🔗 Share this article

It's difficult for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.

The top summits have already been conquered.

This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, targeted by the record chasers, are the only things left for a squad that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Ton Helps 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 as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.

It's challenging for their batters to maintain a record if not provided the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Then best known as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.

A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 tries across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat 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 scored 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fall short again.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.

Some will argue the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's definite is this century was much more difficult to predict.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this knock 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 practice sessions, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing completely," commented Healy.

"However when you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the contest."

Healy's competitiveness has always been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's motivation.

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

"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," said Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.

By the time she was removed her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we know we can achieve it."

Those words will be the last competing nations at this tournament want to hear.

During the last week a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this victory coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.

During that phase they exited 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.

Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated through the pain.

But while she later admitted those physical issues have delayed consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as captain.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.