🔗 Share this article The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Faces One Final Mountain. Video Description: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as Australia Defeat India It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats. The highest peaks have already been conquered. This is the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket. The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a squad that has achieved everything. Healy's Century Helps Australia to Historic Pursuit ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers The fact it required as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years. It's challenging for their batsmen to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility. Ultimately, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to deliver her latest masterpiece. Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since. Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have followed from 10 tries across formats. The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run. That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier. At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fail again. The question of whether this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion. Some will argue the argument supporting final game tension. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000. What's definite is this hundred was far harder to predict. The Christchurch destruction in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30. "If you've observed me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it appeared I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy. "However when you take the field, your competitive nature kick in and you simply focus on the competition." Media Caption: 'Brilliant' Healy Scores 142 to Aid Australia Complete Record Run Chase Healy's fighting spirit has always been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning. She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation. One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point Healy was underway. "An opportunity to play and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy. She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes. By the time she was removed her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion. "Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," stated Healy further. "Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can succeed." These statements will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this tournament need to hear. During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this success coming after win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment. Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed. It was at that stage they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition. So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated despite the injury. Yet even as she later admitted those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as captain. Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.