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Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding consecutive centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen 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 luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“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 Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel 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.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”