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The Australian skipper has produced outstanding consecutive centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

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

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

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”