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Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

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

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six missed catches represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings 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 struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”