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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen 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 world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days before.

“It’s always nice 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 look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”