Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.

The top summits have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are the only things left for a side that has won it all.

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

The fact it required up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.

It's difficult for their batsmen to possess a record if not afforded the opportunity.

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

Initially recognized as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the run of success.

That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.

Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What is certain is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a frustrating experience because it appeared I lacked timing at all," said Healy.

"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you completely engage with the match."

Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.

A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from there the right-hander was on her way.

"A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.

By the time she was out her side required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.

"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we know we can achieve it."

These statements will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this World Cup need to hear.

In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this success coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at a significant event.

Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she regretted not playing with the discomfort.

However although she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as captain.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.