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The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen 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 fortunately succeeded,” she added.

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

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

The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars

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

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”