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Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”