Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.
- Healy's Hundred Assists Australia to Unprecedented Chase
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
- Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers
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, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It is hard for their batters to maintain a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her newest gem.
Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have followed from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Many contend the case for championship match pressure. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was far harder to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it has been a frustrating experience because it appeared I lacked timing completely," said Healy.
"However when you step out on the field, your competitive nature kick in and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
Once she was out her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm pleased we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if we do, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the last competing nations at this tournament need to hear.
Over the past five days a sense they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they left last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a significant event.
So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing despite the injury.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those physical issues have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this tournament is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.
