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Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly the team's poorest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

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

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

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

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

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”