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Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling two 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 bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was first taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter 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 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

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

Spinners Excel as Alana King Stars

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

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”