🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.

The top summits have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.

• Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

That it took up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

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

Finally, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her latest masterpiece.

Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 attempts across formats.

The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the successful run.

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

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not come up short.

If this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display is debatable.

Many contend the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What is certain is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this knock was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"If you've been watching me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it seemed my form was missing whatsoever," commented Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the competition."

Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's spark.

A single came off the bowler's initial ball and from there the right-hander was in motion.

"A chance to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.

Once she was dismissed her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, should it happen, we are confident we can succeed."

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

Over the past five days a belief they will win from any position has only strengthened - this success coming after success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.

It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.

So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated despite the injury.

Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as captain.

Victory in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.