Alyssa Healy Hammers a Second Hundred to Send Australia into World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

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

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

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.

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

Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

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

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days earlier.

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