Healy Hammers a Second Century to Send Australia into World Cup Knockout Stage

The Australian skipper has executed brilliant back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added.

Since data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“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,” the captain said.

This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.

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

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”

Shawna Hernandez
Shawna Hernandez

Maya is a technology writer specializing in telecommunications and digital infrastructure, with over a decade of industry experience.