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The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive centuries to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen 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 delivered,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked Australia’s worst 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 reflect on,” Healy said.

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

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

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”