Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a team that has won it all.
- Healy's Century Aids Australia to Historic Pursuit
- Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers
It needed as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if never given the chance.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a platform to deliver her newest gem.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over 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 debut and seven international trophies 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 successful run.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
If this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it was a frustrating experience because it appeared I lacked timing whatsoever," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the right-hander was underway.
"The possibility to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her fastest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was out the team required another 66 at one run per ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is new territory so I am glad we have the belief to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.
During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at a significant event.
So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this tournament is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as captain.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.