Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
This is the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the chance.
In the end, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her newest gem.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "pushed us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not come up short.
If this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Certain people claim the case for final game tension. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was considerably tougher to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it's been a frustrating experience because it seemed I lacked timing at all," stated Healy.
"However when you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
By the time she was removed her side required another 66 at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the confidence to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we are confident we can succeed."
That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this tournament want to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.
During that phase they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this championship is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.