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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six missed opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

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

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”