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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, 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 perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple 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 batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

From the time data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”