Alyssa Healy Blasts a Second Ton to Propel the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Knockout Stage

The Australian skipper has delivered brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her team into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was first taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

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