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Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding back-to-back hundreds to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented the team's poorest 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 reflect on,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

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

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”