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Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” she added.

Since data was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy 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 did take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

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

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”