Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a team that has won it all.
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The fact it required up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to possess a record if not provided the possibility.
Ultimately, the result of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her newest gem.
Then best known as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fail again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing completely," said Healy.
"But once you take the field, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was in motion.
"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was removed the team required another 66 at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we know we can achieve it."
Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this tournament need to hear.
During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph succeeding win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wished she had played despite the injury.
However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.