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The Australian skipper has executed brilliant consecutive centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

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

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”