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The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

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

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling 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 luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 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 Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

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

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

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

“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 anticipate returning to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.”