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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

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

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten 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 really cool,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Leads

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

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.

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

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face England and South Africa.”