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Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six missed catches represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

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

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally 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 total was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic 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 look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”