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The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

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

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.

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

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.

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

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and the Proteas.”