Healy Fires a Second Century to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”