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The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

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

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.

“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 anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”