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Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

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

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

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

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”