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Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant back-to-back hundreds to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

Since data was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

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

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours 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 stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”