🔗 Share this article The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb. Video Description: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as Australia Defeat India It's a challenge for the Australian squad to set fresh records. The highest peaks have been successfully scaled. We're talking about the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket. The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a squad that has won it all. Healy's Century Aids Australia to Historic Pursuit Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers That it took until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a testament to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century. It is hard for their hitters to maintain a record if not provided the chance. In the end, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her most recent brilliance. Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since. A T20 championship victory came three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 efforts across formats. The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the run of success. That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier. At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fall short again. The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated. Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000. What's definite is this century was far harder to see coming. The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs. "If you've been watching me in training, it has been a challenging time because it appeared I've had no rhythm whatsoever," said Healy. "However when you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you just lock into the contest." Media Caption: 'Fantastic' Healy Makes 142 to Aid Australia Achieve Historic Pursuit Healy's fighting spirit has always been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning. She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration. A single came off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was on her way. "A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, sort of got me going," said Healy. She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes. Once she was removed her side needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish. "To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the assurance to accomplish that now," stated Healy further. "Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we know we can do it." These statements will be the last Australia's opponents at this World Cup want to hear. Over the past five days a sense they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph following win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one point. Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure. During that phase they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at a major tournament. So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort. But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as captain. Success in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.