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The Australian skipper has delivered brilliant back-to-back centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding 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 got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was first taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked 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 reflect on,” the captain said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot

Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads

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

Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”