The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
This is the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a squad that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Record Chase
- ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers
That it took as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the highest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowlers that have represented Australia over five decades.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not afforded the chance.
Finally, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory came three months after her bow and seven world titles have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Many contend the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was far harder to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"For those following me in training, it was a frustrating experience because it seemed my form was missing at all," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that Healy was in motion.
"A chance to go out there and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the confidence to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if we do, we know we can succeed."
That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this championship want to hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph following win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a significant event.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played with the discomfort.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have postponed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as captain.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.