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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

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

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”