Australia 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 been successfully scaled.

This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and once went nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are all that remain for a squad that has accomplished all there is.

• Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
• Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

It needed until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.

It's difficult for their batters to maintain a record if never given the chance.

Finally, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a platform to produce her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.

That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.

Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What is certain is this ton was far harder to see coming.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this performance came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've observed me in training, it was a disappointing period because it appeared I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.

"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the competition."

Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.

One run resulted off the opening delivery and from there Healy was in motion.

"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.

Once she was out the team needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I am glad we have the belief to achieve that now," stated Healy further.

"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we believe we can do it."

That comment will be the last rival teams at this tournament want to hear.

In recent days a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this victory succeeding success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.

During that phase they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at an important competition.

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.

But while she later admitted those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this championship is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as captain.

Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.