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Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

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

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”