Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The greatest achievements have long been mastered.
We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a squad that has won it all.
- 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
That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to possess a record if not afforded the opportunity.
In the end, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut 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 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this ton was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing at all," commented Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you completely engage with the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there Healy was in motion.
"The possibility to play and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
Once she was removed Australia needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this championship need to hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this success coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they left last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
Yet even as she later admitted those physical issues have pushed back plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as skipper.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.