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Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket win over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries 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.

The Opener Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”