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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding consecutive centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since data was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six missed catches marked the team's poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” Healy commented.

It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and the Proteas.”