Healy Fires a Second Ton to Propel the Australian Team into World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) 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 skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain commented.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

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

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Leads

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

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”

Eduardo Fisher
Eduardo Fisher

A seasoned content strategist and tech enthusiast who loves demystifying complex topics for everyday readers.