🔗 Share this article Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge. Media Caption: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as Australia Beat India It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats. The greatest achievements have already been conquered. We're talking about the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket. The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has accomplished all there is. Healy's Century Helps Australia to Record Chase Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers That it took until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a testament to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over five decades. It's challenging for their batters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility. Ultimately, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to produce her newest gem. Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 successful years since. Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have followed from 10 attempts across formats. The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak. That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently. 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 made sure her country would not fail again. Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion. Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000. What's definite is this century was far harder to see coming. The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30. "For those following me in the nets, it's been a frustrating experience because I feel like my form was missing at all," stated Healy. "But once you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts kick in and you just lock into the match." Video Description: 'Fantastic' Healy Hits 142 to Assist Australia Achieve Historic Pursuit Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing 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 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation. A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that the batsman was underway. "An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy. She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three sixes. By the time she was out her side required another 66 at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion. "Pursuing 330 is new territory so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," continued Healy. "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 competing nations at this tournament want to hear. Over the past five days a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this success succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage. Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed. It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament. So strong is her resolve, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort. Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have postponed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is likely to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as leader. Success in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.