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Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 runs came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

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

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”