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Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after perhaps Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”