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Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant consecutive centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six 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 luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented Australia’s worst 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 analyze,” Healy commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

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

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads

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

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”