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Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 followed perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

Since data was first taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”