Healy Hammers a Second Century to Power Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly the team's poorest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

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

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

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”

Heather Bryant
Heather Bryant

Elara is a tech journalist and AI researcher with over a decade of experience, passionate about exploring how emerging technologies shape our future.