🔗 Share this article

The Australian skipper has delivered superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

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

Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.

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