🔗 Share this article Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge. Media Caption: Healy Leads Record Chase as The Aussies Beat India It's difficult for the Australian squad to break new ground. The top summits have already been conquered. This is the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket. The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything. Healy's Ton Helps Australia to Record Chase ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years. It's difficult for their batters to possess a record if never given the opportunity. Finally, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to produce her latest masterpiece. Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since. Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 tries across formats. The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak. That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy commented earlier. At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short. The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion. Some will argue the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000. What is certain is this century was much more difficult to anticipate. The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this performance followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30. "For those following me in training, it has been a disappointing period because I feel like I lacked timing whatsoever," commented Healy. "Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you simply focus on the competition." Video Description: 'Fantastic' Healy Makes 142 to Assist Australia Complete Record Run Chase Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning. She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark. One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the right-hander was underway. "A chance to go out there and face the challenge with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, kind of motivated me," said Healy. She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three sixes. Once she was dismissed Australia needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll. "Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I am glad we have the confidence to do that now," continued Healy. "Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can do it." Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup need to hear. In recent days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one point. Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure. It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a significant event. Such is her determination, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort. However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as skipper. Success in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.