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Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added.

From the time data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”