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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 followed possibly Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the six chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.

It helped the opposition 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 first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot

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

The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

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

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs 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,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”