Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for Australia to set fresh records.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Century Aids Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
- Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Wicket-Takers
It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.
It is hard for their hitters to possess a record if never given the possibility.
In the end, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her debut and seven international trophies have followed from 10 attempts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
If this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort can be debated.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What is certain is this ton was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this knock came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in training, it's been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing completely," stated Healy.
"But once you take the field, your competitive nature activate and you completely engage with the contest."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
When she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"To chase 330 is new territory so I'm pleased we have the confidence to do that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if necessary, we know we can achieve it."
That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this tournament should hear.
In recent days a belief they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this success following victory over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
But while she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as captain.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.