Alyssa Healy’s Second Straight Century Books Australia’s World Cup Semi-Final Spot
Australia are through to the semi-finals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup with two matches still left on the table, and the reason is simple: nobody in the tournament is batting like Alyssa Healy right now. Her unbeaten 113 against Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam came just four days after a match-defining 142 against India at the same ground, and this time she did not need the drama. Chasing 199, Healy and opening partner Phoebe Litchfield simply refused to give Bangladesh a sniff, cruising home by 10 wickets with more than 25 overs to spare.
The result made Australia the first side to confirm a place in the final four of this Women’s Cricket World Cup Campaign, extending an unbeaten run that stretches back through the group stage. For a team that had looked uncharacteristically ragged in the field earlier in the day, it was a reminder that Healy’s bat has been doing enough heavy lifting to paper over almost anything else.
Match Overview
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first, posting 198 for 9 in their 50 overs, their highest ODI total against Australia. Sobhana Mostary anchored the innings with an unbeaten 66, the first half-century recorded by a Bangladeshi batter against the seven-time champions. It was a competitive score by Bangladesh’s standards against this opponent, but it was never going to be enough once Healy and Litchfield got going.
Australia reached 202 for no wicket in 24.5 overs, with Healy finishing on 113 not out from 77 balls and Litchfield unbeaten on 84 from 72. The pair’s unbroken 202-run stand carried the chase from start to finish, and Australia wrapped up the win without ever losing a wicket, one of the most one-sided run chases the tournament has produced.
The Performance That Changed the Match
Healy’s innings was the story of the day, but it did not arrive out of nowhere. Four days earlier, on the same Visakhapatnam pitch, she had made 142 to lead Australia past hosts India in a record run chase. Against Bangladesh she picked up almost exactly where she left off, reaching fifty off 43 balls before accelerating to a second half-century in just 30 more deliveries. Her hundred came up off 73 balls, the second-fastest century of the tournament, and included 20 boundaries.
It marked the second time in Healy’s career that she has scored back-to-back centuries at a World Cup, having done the same during Australia’s title-winning run in 2022. She now has four World Cup hundreds to her name, one short of the tournament record. For a captain who spent much of the morning session criticising her own fielding, the bat provided an immediate and emphatic response.
How the Match Unfolded
Bangladesh’s innings never quite escaped Australia’s control. Leg-spinner Alana King bowled all 10 of her overs in a single unbroken spell, finishing with figures of 2 for 18 that included four maidens, and was later named Player of the Match for the squeeze she applied through the middle overs. Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham also picked up two wickets apiece as Bangladesh struggled to build the platform Mostary’s innings deserved. Despite that control with the ball, Australia’s fielding told a different story, with six catches going down, statistically the side’s worst display in the field since records began being kept in 2013. Healy later put it down to tournament fatigue rather than anything more serious.
None of that mattered once Healy and Litchfield walked out to chase. The openers raced to 78 without loss inside the powerplay and never allowed Bangladesh back into the contest. They brought up 100 together off just 83 balls and 150 off 125, batting with the kind of freedom that comes from already knowing the bowling attack has no answers. Litchfield finished the match in style, striking Fariha Trisna for consecutive boundaries to complete the target in the 25th over.
Key Contributions
Litchfield’s role deserves as much attention as the headline century at the other end. Her 84 not out from 72 balls, built on 12 fours and a six, was her first half-century of the tournament and gave Healy the platform to play with freedom rather than urgency. Together they produced Australia’s third-highest partnership for any wicket in Women’s World Cup history, and the highest successful chase completed without losing a wicket in the competition’s history.
With the ball, King’s control through the middle overs did the most damage to Bangladesh’s ambitions, while Gardner and Wareham chipped in to keep the required rate manageable. Mostary’s unbeaten 66 stood out as the one substantial Bangladesh contribution on a day when few of her teammates found rhythm against Australia’s spin-heavy attack.
Why the Result Matters
Qualifying for the semi-finals with two group matches still to play is a rare luxury in a World Cup, and it lets Australia manage workloads and team combinations before the knockout stage begins in earnest. The win also stretched their unbeaten run in the tournament to four wins from four completed matches, with one game washed out, leaving them on top of the group table on nine points.
For Bangladesh, the total of 198 was still a step forward against a side they have historically struggled to trouble, and Mostary’s innings offers something to build on even though the result went the way most expected.
Tournament Context
Australia arrive at this stage as defending champions, and their form through the group phase, headlined by back-to-back Healy centuries against India and Bangladesh, has made them the team every other semi-finalist will want to avoid. Two group fixtures remain, including a high-profile meeting with England, before the knockout matches are locked in.
Readers following the rest of the tournament can track live scores and schedules through CricSport’s match schedule page and revisit how Australia’s chase compares statistically using the site’s target score calculator.
What Happens Next
Australia still have two league matches to complete, including their meeting with England, before the semi-final draw and fixtures are confirmed. Having already secured their spot in the final four, the remaining games carry less pressure but will still shape seeding and momentum heading into the knockouts. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will look to build on Mostary’s innings as they play out the rest of their group campaign.
Final Analysis
Healy’s back-to-back hundreds have turned Australia’s World Cup campaign into a procession, and the manner of this win, a 10-wicket chase completed without losing a single wicket, said as much about the gap between the sides as any statistic could. Bangladesh will take encouragement from posting their best total yet against the champions, but on this pitch, with these two openers in this form, it was never likely to be enough.
FAQ Section
Who won the match between Australia and Bangladesh? Australia won by 10 wickets, chasing down Bangladesh’s total of 198 for 9 with 202 for no wicket in 24.5 overs. The win secured their place in the Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals.
Who scored the century for Australia? Captain Alyssa Healy scored an unbeaten 113 off 77 balls, her second consecutive World Cup century after making 142 against India four days earlier at the same Visakhapatnam venue.
How did Australia qualify for the semi-finals so early? The 10-wicket win over Bangladesh was Australia’s fourth victory in four completed group matches, with one game washed out. That record was enough to confirm their semi-final berth with two group games still to play.
What was the significance of the Healy-Litchfield partnership? Healy and Phoebe Litchfield put on an unbroken 202-run opening stand, the highest successful run chase completed without losing a wicket in Women’s World Cup history, and Australia’s third-highest partnership for any wicket at the tournament.
Who was the standout bowler for Australia? Leg-spinner Alana King bowled all 10 of her overs unchanged, finishing with figures of 2 for 18 including four maidens, and was named Player of the Match for her control through the middle overs.
What did Bangladesh contribute in the match? Bangladesh posted 198 for 9, their highest ODI total against Australia, built around Sobhana Mostary’s unbeaten 66, the first half-century recorded by a Bangladeshi batter against Australia.
What happens next for Australia in the tournament? Australia have two group matches remaining, including a fixture against England, before the semi-final stage begins. Having already qualified, the results mainly affect seeding and momentum heading into the knockouts.
Internal Linking Summary
| Anchor Text | Target URL | Reason for Link |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Cricket World Cup | https://cricsport.net/category/cricket/ | Contextual link to broader cricket news category when introducing the tournament |
| match schedule page | https://cricsport.net/live-cricket-score/todays-match-schedule/ | Relevant tool for readers tracking Australia’s remaining fixtures |
| target score calculator | https://cricsport.net/cricket-target-score-calculator/ | Contextually relevant tool given the article discusses a run chase |
