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Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket win over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six 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 got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

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 slip cordon.

Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”