The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time data was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot
Healy was pleased to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”
