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

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 came after possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two 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 fortunately succeeded,” she added.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees 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 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”