🔗 Share this article Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge. Media Caption: Healy Leads Record Chase as The Aussies Overcome India It's a challenge for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats. The top summits have been successfully scaled. This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket. The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has won it all. Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Unprecedented Chase ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers It needed until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the female 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 hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility. In the end, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a chance to produce her newest gem. Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since. Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her bow and seven global championships have followed from 10 tries across formats. The tough gloveman was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the winning streak. That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week. At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fail again. Whether this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion. Some will argue the case for final game tension. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when facing a record target 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 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs. "If you've observed me in training, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," stated Healy. "However when you take the field, your competitive nature take over and you completely engage with the contest." Media Caption: 'Excellent' Healy Makes 142 to Assist Australia Achieve Historic Pursuit Healy's competitiveness has always been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning. She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration. A single came off the opening delivery and from there the batsman was in motion. "An opportunity to go out there and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, kind of motivated me," said Healy. She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her fastest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits. By the time she was out Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll. "Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," stated Healy further. "Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we believe we can achieve it." These statements will be the last Australia's opponents at this tournament need to hear. In recent days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage. Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may probably be guaranteed. It was in the semi-finals they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament. Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated through the pain. But while she later admitted those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is likely to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain. Victory in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.