🔗 Share this article Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain. Media Caption: Healy Leads Record Chase as Australia Defeat India It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground. The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled. This is the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket. The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all. Healy's Century Assists Australia to Unprecedented Chase ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards Tournament Standings, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers That it took as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years. It is hard for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the chance. In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her latest masterpiece. Originally famous as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since. A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 efforts across formats. The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the run of success. That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week. At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fall short again. Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated. Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the test that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000. What's clear is this ton was much more difficult to predict. The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30. "If you've been watching me in training, it's been a frustrating experience because it appeared my form was missing whatsoever," stated Healy. "However when you take the field, your fighting spirit take over and you just lock into the competition." Media Caption: 'Brilliant' Healy Makes 142 to Aid Australia Accomplish Unprecedented Chase Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning. She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration. One run resulted off the opening delivery and after that the batsman was underway. "A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, kind of motivated me," said Healy. She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three big hits. When she was out Australia needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll. "Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the confidence to do that now," stated Healy further. "Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, should it happen, we know we can achieve it." That comment will be the last rival teams at this championship need to hear. In recent days a feeling they will win from any position has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point. Subsequently Australia meet 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 left last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament. Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated with the discomfort. However although she later admitted those physical issues have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain. Victory in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.