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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs followed possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

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

But Alana King spellbinding continuous 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.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

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

Spinners Thrive as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”