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Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.

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

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six 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 something we’ll review,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 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,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”