The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The greatest achievements have long been mastered.
This is the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.
- Healy's Ton Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
- Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers
That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have represented Australia over five decades.
It is hard for their batters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
Finally, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup 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.
Whether this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Certain people claim the case for championship match pressure. Others can counter with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's clear is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, 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 practice sessions, it was a disappointing period because I feel like I've had no rhythm whatsoever," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts activate and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and from there the right-hander was in motion.
"An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
Once she was out her side needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if we do, we are confident we can do it."
Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this tournament need to hear.
During the last week a sense they will win from any position has grown stronger - this victory succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a significant event.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wished she had played through the pain.
Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed thoughts of retirement, this tournament is likely to be her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as captain.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.