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Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive centuries to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.

Since data was first recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked the team'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,” Healy said.

It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

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

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”