The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a side that has won it all.
- Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Unprecedented Chase
- ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers
The fact it required as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.
It's difficult for their batsmen to hold a record if not provided the possibility.
Finally, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to produce her newest gem.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory came three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.
Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this century was much more difficult to predict.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this knock came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in training, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like my form was missing completely," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you completely engage with the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that the batsman was on her way.
"A chance to take the field and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
Once she was out the team needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can succeed."
Those words will be the ultimate thing rival teams at this World Cup need to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph following success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was at that stage they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she later said she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is expected to be her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a global event as skipper.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.