Skipper Alyssa Healy delivered a magnificent yet unbeaten 113 to spearhead Australia's crushing 10-wicket win over Bangladesh in Vishakhapatnam on October 16. With this win Australia stormed into Women's World Cup 2025 semifinal.
Australia make it to Women's World Cup 2025 semifinal
This performance marked Healy's second consecutive century in the tournament, following her powerful score of 142 in the previous game against India at the same venue on October 12. Healy's 113 not out came off just 77 deliveries, while her opening partner, Phoebe Litchfield, also remained unbeaten on 84. Together, they helped Australia effortlessly chase down the target of 199 with a massive 151 deliveries to spare.
Alyssa Healy cracks another century
Australia's performance in the field was uncharacteristically sloppy, featuring errant lines, generous extras, and dropped chances, notably involving Phoebe Litchfield and Alyssa Healy. Despite these early gaffes, the hosts managed to restrict Bangladesh to 198/9. The Australian openers then compensated for their fielding errors in the best way possible, neutralizing a usually wily Bangladeshi bowling attack that was missing key players like Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter.After a slow start, Litchfield hit two boundaries off Fariha Trisna to accelerate the innings, with Healy quickly joining the assault. The pair put up a blistering 78 runs by the end of the PowerPlay and reached the triple-figure mark in just 13.5 overs, making it their quickest start of the campaign. The match ended swiftly thanks to the duo's exhibition hitting: Healy registered her second consecutive century of the tournament, while Litchfield completed her eighth ODI half-century along the way.
Alana King breaks Bangladesh's back
Electing to bat first, Bangladesh once again banked on its ability to set a manageable total and mount a stubborn defense. Their start was aided by Australian fielding errors: Phoebe Litchfield gave opener Rubya Haider an early reprieve, and Alyssa Healy spilled a chance that denied Darcie Brown a wicket. Despite losing Fargana Hoque in the ninth over, Bangladesh managed to see off the Powerplay with its best performance of the tournament, reaching 37/1. Rubya Haider continued to live life on the edge, with her streaky edges often running away to the boundary. However, her luck ran out when she fell just short of a deserved half-century, holing out to Tahlia McGrath at mid-on. Sharmin soon followed, dismissed in similar fashion. Meanwhile, spinner Alana King, generating close to 4.5 degrees of turn, claimed the prized wickets of captain Nigar Sultana Joty and Shorna Akter, with the latter unable to repeat her big-hitting from the previous match. Ultimately, it was Sobhana Mostary who waged a lone battle, scoring a fighting half-century that dragged Bangladesh to 198/9. However, against the dominant Australian side, this total was always going to be a cakewalk. Australia sealed the 10-wicket victory with a massive 25.1 overs to spare.