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The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding 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 needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding metrics in the year 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 something we’ll reflect on,” Healy commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

Healy was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”