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Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

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

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six catches that went down.

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

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the group table 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 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”