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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.

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

From the time data was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

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

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”