The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.

It's tough for the Australian squad to set fresh records.

The highest peaks have already been conquered.

This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a team that has accomplished all there is.

• Healy's Ton Assists Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers

The fact it required until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.

It is hard for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the opportunity.

Finally, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was present as well 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 subsequent ODI World Cup 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.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.

Many contend the case for championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's definite is this ton was much more difficult to anticipate.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this performance followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like I lacked timing completely," said Healy.

"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit activate and you just lock into the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single came off the opening delivery and after that the batsman was in motion.

"An opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.

By the time she was out Australia needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I am glad we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.

"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if we do, we believe we can do it."

These statements will be the last competing nations at this tournament want to hear.

In recent days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this victory coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Following this Australia face 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 in the semi-finals they exited last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at a major tournament.

So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wished she had played through the pain.

Yet even as she later admitted those fitness problems have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this championship is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as leader.

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