The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia 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 previously enjoyed over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Century Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers
It needed until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind 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's definite is this century was far harder to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while 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 failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm at all," stated Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your competitive nature kick in and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her great strength - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from there the batsman was underway.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was out Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is new territory so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can achieve it."
Those words will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this World Cup want to hear.
During the last week a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
During that phase they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wished she had played through the pain.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those physical issues have postponed thoughts of retirement, this championship is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as skipper.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.