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The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

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

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.

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

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six missed catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, 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 places her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

Instead, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”