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Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”