Sri Lanka beats the Bangladeshi side to preserve their World Cup tournament hopes ongoing

Women's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

Sri Lanka secured four wickets in the final over to complete a heart-stopping triumph over Bangladesh and preserve their slim chances of making it for the tournament knockout stage ongoing.

Chasing a below-par total of 203 on a favorable wicket in Navi Mumbai, Bangladesh wanted nine runs from the last six balls.

Yet, Lankan skipper Athapaththu took three wickets in four balls and de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to secure a dramatic success for the Lankan team.

The victory – the Lankan team's maiden of the tournament after three losses and two washed-out matches against Australia and the Kiwi side – elevates them equal on four points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who confront each other on Thursday.

Bangladesh, however, endured a fifth consecutive defeat since securing victory in their initial game against the Pakistani team and have been eliminated.

Although the Bangladeshi side got off to the perfect start, with Marufa striking with the first delivery of the match to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly punished for a poor fielding performance.

They offered second chances to Hasini Perera, who was dropped multiple times, and the Lankan captain.

Although Athapaththu failed to make it count, sent back leg before wicket for 46 just one delivery after being missed by Rabeya, Hasini Perera forced Bangladesh suffer.

She achieved a debut international fifty, making 85 from 99 bowls and building an important 74-run partnership fifth-wicket with Nilakshi de Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, led by Shorna Akter's 3-27, dragged themselves back to the match, with Nilakshi's removal in the 34th over initiating a Lankan batting collapse from 174 with four wickets down to 202 complete.

During their chase, Sri Lanka's starting bowlers Madara and Prabodhani restricted Bangladesh to 23-1 in a lacklustre opening overs and they were subsequently diminished to 44 for three.

Sharmin and Joty rebuilt their score, contributing an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the batter retired hurt for a resolute 64 in the 36th over.

It was in favor of Bangladesh heading into the remaining two overs, with just 12 runs required.

Yet, Sugandika Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu Moni and conceded only three runs before Athapaththu's dramatic spell, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all sent back as the Lankan team seized the win at the death.

Finally, it was a match of nerve. The highly experienced Athapaththu, who directed away a few of fellow players as she prepared to bowl the final over, kept hers. Bangladesh failed to.

There will be many questions about Bangladesh's batting effort. They could easily have been needing around 270-280 with Sri Lanka appearing at ease on 159 for four in the 30th over, but instead the required total was much lower.

Nevertheless, Bangladesh displayed insufficient aggression from ball one, accumulating runs at below 2.5 scoring rate during the opening overs, experiencing a initial wicket loss, and ultimately forcing themselves too much to do.

But whatever difficulties there are with their batting, if they had accepted their opportunities in the field, that 203 total goal would have been significantly lower.

It took them three attempts to end the 72-run second-wicket association, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana failing to hold a difficult chance behind the stumps to send back Hasini Perera on 23 runs before Athapaththu survived from a return catch opportunity against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was dropped further on her score of 55 and 63 runs, the last attempt traveling right to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being given out leg before wicket by Shorna as she attempted to increase the tempo with teammates getting out around her.

Later in the innings, there was additionally a failed stumping and a missed run-out, even though the latter was a slightly unlucky, with Jhilik deputising with the wicketkeeping gloves after an physical problem to the regular keeper.

Regrettably for the team, such fielding problems are not at all a isolated incident. They've missed 14 catches from a possible 27 at this World Cup and have the lowest fielding effectiveness (48.1 percent) of the competing sides.

They are a squad who are typically moving in the proper way – they are playing in only their second 50-over World Cup ultimately – but substandard fielding is a obvious issue which needs focus.