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The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

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

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding 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 bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” Healy commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

Healy was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

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

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

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

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position 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 record score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”