The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a squad that has achieved everything.
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That it took up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to hold a record if not provided the opportunity.
In the end, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to produce her latest masterpiece.
Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Certain people claim the argument supporting final game tension. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's clear is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"For those following me in the nets, it's been a challenging time because it appeared I lacked timing at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was in motion.
"An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, somewhat inspired me," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her fastest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was out Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the confidence to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we are confident we can do it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing rival teams at this World Cup should hear.
Over the past five days a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this victory following win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she later said she regretted not playing through the pain.
Yet even as she later admitted those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is likely to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.