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Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.

It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. 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 Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India a few days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”