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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.

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

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

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

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”