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Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

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

“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

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

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”