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Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to guide her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest 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 analyze,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the triumph, 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 last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century 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 boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.

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