🔗 Share this article The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge. Video Description: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as Australia Beat India It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats. The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled. We're talking about the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket. The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a team that has achieved everything. Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Historic Pursuit Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers The fact it required up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century. It is hard for their batters to possess a record if not afforded the possibility. In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to produce her newest gem. Originally famous as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 successful years since. Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven global championships have come from 10 efforts across formats. The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the winning streak. That loss "motivated 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 awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not fail again. Whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort can be debated. Some will argue the argument supporting championship match pressure. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000. What's definite is this hundred was far harder to anticipate. The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30. "For those following me in training, it has been a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," said Healy. "However when you enter the playing area, your competitive nature activate and you completely engage with the competition." Media Caption: 'Excellent' Healy Makes 142 to Help Australia Accomplish Unprecedented Chase Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning. She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration. A single was taken off the opening delivery and from that point Healy was on her way. "The possibility to play and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, kind of motivated me," commented Healy. She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits. By the time she was dismissed Australia required another 66 at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll. "To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to do that now," stated Healy further. "Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we believe we can do it." That comment will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this World Cup should hear. During the last week a belief they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph coming after success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage. Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed. It was at that stage they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a major tournament. So strong is her resolve, she later said she wished she had played through the pain. Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as skipper. Success in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.