The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

It's tough for Australia to break new ground.

The top summits have already been conquered.

We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.

• Healy's Hundred Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
• ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Wicket-Takers

It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

It is hard for their hitters to maintain a record if not provided the possibility.

Finally, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 attempts across formats.

The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.

That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fail again.

If this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.

Certain people claim the argument supporting championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What's definite is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"For those following me in the nets, it has been a frustrating experience because it appeared I lacked timing whatsoever," stated Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your competitive nature kick in and you just lock into the contest."

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.

One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was in motion.

"A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.

By the time she was removed 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'm pleased we have the confidence to achieve that now," continued Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we know we can achieve it."

That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this World Cup want to hear.

In recent days a belief they will win from any position has only strengthened - this victory coming after win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a significant event.

So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing through the pain.

But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as leader.

Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.