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Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

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

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few 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 anticipate going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”