Alyssa Healy Fires Another Century to Power Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed opportunities marked the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished 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 shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

Instead, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 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. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”