The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has achieved everything.
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That it took as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to hold a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have followed from 10 attempts across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.
If this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was far harder to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in training, it's been a disappointing period because it appeared I've had no rhythm whatsoever," said Healy.
"But once you take the field, your fighting spirit take over and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from that point Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."
These statements will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament should hear.
In recent days a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this victory following success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wished she had played through the pain.
Yet even as she later admitted those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this tournament is likely to be her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.