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The Australian skipper has executed outstanding consecutive hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

Healy remained not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

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

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances 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 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 Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”