With two league games remaining, the defending champions Australia became the first team in the tournament to secure a spot in the semi-finals on Thursday after Alyssa Healy blasted her second consecutive century and led the team to a decisive 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam.
In just 24.5 overs, openers Healy and Phoebe Litchfield swept up the runs as they chased 199 for victory. Bangladesh put up a fight, even though the battle ultimately turned out to be one-sided.
Choosing to bat, they made a respectable start, mainly thanks to Rubya Haider’s 59-ball 44, even though they lost opener Fargana Hoque cheaply on 8. Eight boundaries were hit by Haider in his innings, however four of them were streaky edges. Litchfield even dismissed her on 22 in the seventh over. However, as her innings went on, she gained self-assurance and formed a helpful 41-run partnership with Sharmin Akhter, which helped Bangladesh appear to be in a strong position at 73 for 1 in the 18th over until Haider’s removal caused a collapse.
In the middle overs, Ash Gardner, Alana King, and Georgia Wareham, the spin trio, each claimed a brace to cut Bangladesh to 165 for 9. Particularly hard to put away was King, with her drift and noticeable turn. But Sobhana Mostary was determined to fight until the end. She went on the attack with the tail after having a steady start to her innings and watching wickets fall from the other end.
She helped the team to 198 for 9 with her undefeated 66 and became the first Bangladeshi woman to achieve a half-century against Australia, smashing eight boundaries on the way. Australian bowlers’ line-failures and a missed catch also helped her.
Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, and Ritu Moni all took the brunt of Healy’s attack, and boundaries quickly began to slip.
However, it didn’t take long for Australia to dash their expectations. After taking a while to get settled, Healy, who had just scored a century against India, destroyed Fariha Trisna in the fifth over by hitting three boundaries. Healy took over the attack after both batsmen reached their individual half-centuries, but the pair reached their century stand in just 83 balls, by which time they were both moving at a similar speed.
In the 20th over, she swept and slogswept Shorna Akter for consecutive boundaries after being dropped at short fine on 67. Litchfield, who was by that point playing the supporting role, powered two consecutive boundaries to finish the chase.
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