Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are what's still available for a side that has won it all.
- Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers
The fact it required up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It is hard for their batters to maintain a record if not provided the chance.
In the end, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.
If this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Many contend the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"For those following me in practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing completely," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and from that point the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
Once she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the belief to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we know we can achieve it."
These statements will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament want to hear.
In recent days a sense they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph coming after success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.
During that phase they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing despite the injury.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.