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The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” she added.

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

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

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target 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 global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”