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The Australian skipper has delivered superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s weakest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”