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Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

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

Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”