Australia’s Unyielding March: Healy’s Back-to-Back Centuries Cement World Cup Dominance

In a display of cricketing prowess that has become almost routine, the Australian women`s team delivered a formidable 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam, marking their undisputed qualification for the semi-finals of the 2025 Women`s World Cup. At the heart of this clinical performance was the incandescent form of Alyssa Healy, whose second consecutive century underscored Australia`s relentless pursuit of glory.

Bangladesh`s Moment of Hope

The contest, though ultimately one-sided, was not entirely devoid of narrative tension. Opting to bat first, Bangladesh, often the underdog, demonstrated early resilience. Despite losing opener Fargana Hoque cheaply, Rubya Haider anchored the innings with a courageous 44 runs from 59 balls. Her innings, adorned with eight boundaries—a few perhaps fortunate edges, but boundaries nonetheless—offered a glimpse of what might have been. A dropped catch by Litchfield when Haider was on 22 further extended their tenure at the crease, allowing a useful 41-run partnership with Sharmin Akhter. At 73 for 1 in the 18th over, a flicker of hope might have ignited in the Bangladeshi dugout.

The Inevitable Australian Squeeze

However, the Australian machine, notorious for its mid-innings stranglehold, soon engaged its gears. The spin trio of Ash Gardner, Alana King, and Georgia Wareham systematically dismantled Bangladesh`s middle order, each claiming two wickets. King, in particular, proved a conundrum, her drift and appreciable turn making scoring a laborious task. The promising start quickly dissolved into a familiar collapse, reducing Bangladesh to a precarious 165 for 9.

Yet, the story wasn`t entirely over. Sobhana Mostary, undeterred by the rapidly falling wickets around her, embarked on a defiant counter-attack. She became the first Bangladeshi woman to score a half-century against Australia, her unbeaten 66 runs, peppered with eight boundaries, propelling the total to a respectable 198 for 9. Aided by another dropped catch and some rare Australian errors in line, Mostary`s innings was a testament to individual grit against overwhelming odds.

Healy and Litchfield: A Masterclass in Chase Management

Chasing 199 for victory, Australia`s response was less a chase and more a formal procession. Alyssa Healy, fresh from her prior century against India, took a moment to recalibrate before unleashing her full repertoire. The fifth over, delivered by Fariha Trisna, bore the initial brunt of her aggression, yielding three swift boundaries. Alongside her, the composed Phoebe Litchfield played a crucial supporting role, ensuring the scoreboard ticked over without any undue risk.

The century stand arrived in a blistering 83 balls, by which point both openers were operating at a formidable clip. Once their individual half-centuries were secured, Healy shifted into an even higher gear. Despite being dropped at short fine leg on 67, she responded with characteristic audacity, sweeping and slog-sweeping Shorna Akter for successive boundaries. The boundaries flowed thereafter with an almost inevitable rhythm, leaving Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, and Ritu Moni to endure the full force of Healy`s assault. Litchfield, having expertly played the accumulator, then completed the formality, powering two successive boundaries to seal the 10-wicket victory in a mere 24.5 overs.

The Message Sent, The Standards Set

This comprehensive win not only secures Australia`s semi-final berth with two league games still outstanding but also sends a clear, unequivocal message to every other contender in the 2025 Women`s World Cup. Their dominance is not just about winning; it`s about the manner of victory—clinical, assertive, and seemingly effortless. Healy`s back-to-back centuries are a powerful statement of individual form within an already peerless team structure.

As the defending champions, Australia continues to operate on a different plane, demonstrating a level of consistency and depth that few, if any, can match. Their path to the semi-finals has been less a journey and more a series of emphatic declarations, each one reinforcing their status as the team to beat. For their opponents, facing this Australian juggernaut must feel less like a cricket match and more like a carefully orchestrated demonstration of superior engineering. The question for the rest of the tournament isn`t if Australia will reach the final, but who might possibly possess the combination of skill and nerve to truly challenge their seemingly unyielding reign.