Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Ton Assists Australia to Unprecedented Chase
- ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers
It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.
It's difficult for their batters to maintain a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Finally, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to create her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not come up short.
Whether this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Some will argue the argument supporting championship match pressure. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this ton was considerably tougher to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts activate and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was on her way.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.
By the time she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the assurance to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can do it."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was at that stage they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she later said she wanted to have participated despite the injury.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have pushed back plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.
