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The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six dropped catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.”