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The Australian skipper has executed brilliant consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two 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,” she added.

Since data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

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