Sri Lanka defeats the Bangladeshi side to maintain their World Cup tournament hopes alive

Women's Cricket World Cup, Navi Mumbai

Sri Lanka 202 (48.4 overs): Hasini Perera 85 (99); Shorna 3-27

The Bangladeshi team 195-9 (50 overs): Joty 77 (98); Athapaththu 4-42

Sri Lanka win by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team secured four crucial dismissals in the final innings segment to achieve a nail-biting triumph over their opponents and keep their faint hopes of making it for the tournament knockout stage alive.

Needing a attainable score of 203 on a favorable wicket in the Mumbai stadium, the Bangladeshi team needed nine more runs from the last six bowls.

Yet, Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu claimed three important dismissals in four deliveries and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to secure a exciting victory for the Lankan team.

The triumph – the Lankan team's first of the World Cup after three unsuccessful matches and two no-results against the Australian team and New Zealand – moves them tied on four match points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who confront each other on Thursday.

The Bangladeshi team, however, suffered a fifth straight setback since winning their initial game against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

While Bangladesh made the perfect start, with Marufa Akter striking with the first delivery of the encounter to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly penalized for a disappointing fielding display.

They provided lifelines to Hasini Perera, who was dropped three times, and the Lankan captain.

Even though the Sri Lankan skipper was unable to capitalise, sent back lbw for 46 a single bowl after being put down by Rabeya Khan, Hasini Perera forced Bangladesh pay.

She registered a maiden international fifty, accumulating 85 from 99 balls and contributing to an crucial 74-run fifth-wicket collaboration with De Silva.

Bangladesh, led by Shorna's 3-27, dragged themselves back to the contest, with Nilakshi's dismissal in the 34th bowling segment initiating a Lankan downfall from 174 for four to 202 total.

While batting second, the Lankan team's initial pace attack Malki Madara and Prabodhani restricted the opposition to 23 for one in a uninspiring initial phase and they were later reduced to 44 with three wickets lost.

Sharmin Akter and Joty restored their score, adding an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket collaboration before the batter withdrew due to injury for a resolute 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was leaning toward the chasing team approaching the remaining two innings segments, with merely 12 additional runs necessary.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu Moni and gave away merely three scoring runs before Athapaththu's dramatic spell, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida, captain Joty and Marufa all sent back as the Lankan team grabbed the win at the death.

Finally, it was a contest of nerves. The highly experienced Lankan captain, who directed away a several of team-mates as she set herself to bowl the decisive over, held her nerve. Bangladesh did not.

There will be many questions about Bangladesh's batting display. They possibly have been needing 270 or 280 with Sri Lanka looking comfortable on 159 for four in the 30th over, but in contrast the required total was considerably smaller.

Yet, Bangladesh displayed insufficient aggression from ball one, making runs at below 2.5 runs per over during the powerplay, suffering a early batting collapse, and eventually forcing themselves overwhelming to do.

But no matter what difficulties there are with their batting lineup, if they had taken their chances in the field, that 203-run target objective would have been significantly lower.

It took them three efforts to break the 72-run partnership second-wicket, with wicketkeeper Joty failing to grab a tough opportunity behind the stumps to remove Perera on her score of 23 before Athapaththu got a reprieve from a caught and bowled possibility against Rabeya.

The batter was dropped again on her score of 55 and 63, the latter chance flying right to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover position, before eventually being given out leg before wicket by Shorna as she sought to increase the tempo with batting partners being dismissed around her.

Later in the batting effort, there was furthermore a failed stumping and a missed run-out, even though the run-out chance was a slightly unlucky, with Rubya Haider deputising with the gloves following an fitness issue to Joty.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, such fielding woes are not at all a isolated incident. They've dropped 14 opportunities from a available 27 chances at this tournament and have the lowest fielding effectiveness (48.1%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are typically moving in the right direction – they are playing in just their second one-day World Cup after all – but inadequate fielding performance is a obvious problem which demands focus.