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Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 followed possibly the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.

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

Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

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

But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Leads

Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking 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 side who had chased down 330 against India a few days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”