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The Australian skipper has produced outstanding consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

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

Since data was initially recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days before.

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