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The Australian skipper has executed brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam 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 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 win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple 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 batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” 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 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”