🔗 Share this article

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“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 two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six chances that were missed.

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

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, 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 practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Leads

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

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”