🔗 Share this article

It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.

The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.

• Healy's Century Helps Australia to Historic Pursuit
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

It needed until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their batters to maintain a record if not afforded the chance.

Finally, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her newest gem.

Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 championship victory came three months after her debut and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the winning streak.

That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 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 topped that previous effort can be debated.

Certain people claim the case for final game tension. Others can counter with the test that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What is certain is this ton was far harder to predict.

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"For those following me in the nets, it was a challenging time because it appeared my form was missing completely," commented Healy.

"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you completely engage with the contest."

Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.

One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from that point Healy was in motion.

"A chance to take the field and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

When she was removed the team needed 66 more at one run per ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.

"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to achieve that now," continued Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can achieve it."

Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this tournament want to hear.

In recent days a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this victory coming after win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed.

It was in the semi-finals they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a major tournament.

So strong is her resolve, she later said she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.

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