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The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive centuries to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive victory over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 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 two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India four days earlier.

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