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Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding consecutive centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

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

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”