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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.

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

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

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as 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 slips.

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

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face England and South Africa.”