For years, 300 was the mythical mountain in women’s ODIs, the kind of score that made captains sleep easy. On Sunday in Visakhapatnam, India, they scaled that peak and planted their flag at 330. Then Alyssa Healy and Co. climbed higher, danced on top, and waved back. Australia didn’t just chase history; they redefined it, gunning down 331 with swagger that bordered on arrogance. It wasn’t just the highest chase in women’s ODI history. It was a message: the era of fear in pursuit is over.
This wasn’t your usual World Cup thriller; it was a statistical riot. A combined 661 runs made it the second highest scoring World Cup match ever. India, led by Smriti Mandhana’s fluent 80 and Pratika Rawal’s composure, posted their highest-ever World Cup total. Australia, in reply, blazed to 82 without loss in the first 10 overs, their most explosive Powerplay in ODI history. Healy’s 142 wasn’t just her maiden ton as captain; it became the third-highest by any World Cup skipper, trailing only legends Belinda Clark and Meg Lanning. Even in defeat, India walked away with milestones, but Australia left with immortality.
When Healy Turned Recklessness into Rhythm
It’s one thing to attack. It’s another to sustain it. Alyssa Healy’s innings was that rare mix of controlled fury. Every short ball was punished, every gap found as if she had GPS precision. She dismantled India’s bowling blueprint in real time. Seamers couldn’t set a field, spinners couldn’t slow her down. At one point, Australia’s 82 in the Powerplay felt like a cheat code. Her 142 wasn’t just runs; it was rhythm, tempo, and tactical domination in motion. The skipper didn’t just lead; she hypnotized her team into belief.
Mandhana’s Golden Run Meets the Wall
In 2025, Smriti Mandhana’s ODI form presents itself as the last word in batting brilliance. Over 5000 career runs and fastest-ever to that mark, plus leading the charts for calendar year 1062 runs. Against Australia, she was poetry again, crisp drives, serene tempo, and another 50-plus against the same opponent, her fifth in continuous succession. But for all the artistry, the yarn transposed. The middle order went in endlessly for runs, which nonetheless nothing menaced. India made a count convincingly, else how nearly enough.
The Numbers That Broke Tradition
Here’s where the past bowed to the present. Before this match, no side had ever chased 300+ against Australia in World Cups. India themselves were the only team to score 300 against them twice in consecutive matches. And yet, Australia hunted 331 like it was a warm-up. Their Powerplay rate (8.2 RPO) was their best-ever in any ODI. Five different records fell in one afternoon, a run-feast so absurd, it made the 2017 Bristol classic between England and South Africa look like a slow lunch.
Echoes of Clark and Lanning — A Legacy Reborn
What Healy did at Visakhapatnam felt like a modern echo of Belinda Clark’s 227* in 1997, not in sheer volume, but in audacity. Clark’s double century came at a time when women’s cricket was building legitimacy; Healy’s 142 came when it demanded evolution. In between, Meg Lanning’s 152* in 2017 had redefined efficiency. Now, Healy’s innings bridge that lineage aggression refined through generations. And just like those innings, it wasn’t individual brilliance alone; it was structural dominance the Australian way since 1997, adapted for 2025.
Key Takeaway
The 331 chase wasn’t just history; it was a declaration that in women’s cricket, no total is sacred anymore.
FAQs
- What record did Australia break against India?
They completed the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history — 331.
- What made Alyssa Healy’s innings historic?
Her 142 was the third-highest score by a World Cup captain and the highest against India in World Cups.
- What milestone did Smriti Mandhana achieve?
She became the fastest batter to reach 5000 ODI runs and crossed 1000 runs in 2025.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
Step into the world of cricket with JeetBuzz News—where expert opinions, trending Blogs, and behind-the-scenes insights meet all your favorite topics. Stay informed, stay entertained, and never miss the stories shaping the cricketing world—only on JeetBuzz News!
