The Lankan team beats Bangladesh to maintain their World Cup tournament hopes breathing

ICC Women's World Cup, Navi Mumbai

The Lankan team 202 (48.4 overs): Hasini Perera 85 (99); Shorna Akter 3-27

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

Sri Lanka win by seven runs margin

Sri Lanka claimed four crucial dismissals in the decisive innings segment to achieve a nail-biting triumph over their opponents and preserve their slim chances of making it for the tournament knockout stage ongoing.

Needing a below-par score of 203 on a good batting surface in the Mumbai stadium, the Bangladeshi team required nine runs from the remaining six bowls.

Yet, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu secured three important dismissals in four balls and de Silva ran out Nahida Akter to bring about a dramatic win for Sri Lanka.

The triumph – the Lankan team's initial of the World Cup after three defeats and two washed-out matches against Australia and New Zealand – moves them equal on four points with India and the New Zealand side, who face each other on Thursday.

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

Even though the Bangladeshi side made the ideal beginning, with Marufa taking a wicket with the initial ball of the match to remove Gunaratne, they were rightfully penalized for a poor fielding display.

They gifted second chances to Hasini Perera, who was missed on three occasions, and the Lankan captain.

Although the Sri Lankan skipper failed to take advantage, removed leg before wicket for 46 one ball after being put down by Rabeya Khan, Hasini Perera made the opposition suffer.

She registered a debut international fifty, scoring 85 from 99 deliveries and sharing an important 74-run stand fifth-wicket association with De Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, guided by Shorna's 3-27, fought themselves back to the contest, with Nilakshi's removal in the 34th bowling segment initiating a Sri Lanka downfall from 174 for four to 202 complete.

In reply, Sri Lanka's initial pace attack Madara and Prabodhani contained Bangladesh to 23 for one in a uninspiring powerplay and they were later diminished to 44 with three wickets lost.

Sharmin and Nigar Sultana Joty rebuilt their score, contributing 82 for the fourth wicket before Sharmin left the field injured for a determined 64 in the 36th innings segment.

It was advantage the chasing team heading into the last two bowling phases, with merely 12 runs needed.

Nevertheless, Sugandika Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu Moni and allowed just three scoring runs before the captain's decisive intervention, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all removed as Sri Lanka snatched the win at the death.

Ultimately, it was a match of composure. The seasoned Athapaththu, who directed away a few of fellow players as she prepared to deliver the last over, held her composure. The opposition could not.

There will be numerous questions about Bangladesh's batting effort. They might well have been needing around 270-280 with Sri Lanka looking at ease on 159 for four in the 30th bowling phase, but instead the required total was considerably smaller.

Nevertheless, the batting side showed little intent from ball one, making runs at below 2.5 runs each over during the powerplay, undergoing a early batting collapse, and eventually leaving themselves excessive to achieve.

But whatever issues there are with their batting lineup, if they had taken their catches in the field, that 203-run target target would have been significantly smaller.

It required them three tries to end the 72-run second-wicket collaboration, with keeper Nigar Sultana not managing to grab a tough catch behind the stumps to dismiss Hasini Perera on 23 before Athapaththu survived from a return catch opportunity against Rabeya.

The batter was dropped again on 55 runs and 63, the latter chance traveling right to Jhilik at cover field, before ultimately being dismissed leg before wicket by Shorna Akter as she attempted to up the ante with batting partners falling beside her.

Afterwards in the batting effort, there was furthermore a missed stumping and a failed run-out, although the run-out chance was a slightly regrettable, with Rubya Haider deputising with the keeping duties after an physical problem to Joty.

Sadly for the team, such fielding issues are far from a single occurrence. They've missed 14 opportunities from a potential 27 at this World Cup and have the worst fielding effectiveness (less than 50%) of the eight teams.

They are a side who are typically progressing in the right direction – they are competing in just their second 50-over World Cup after all – but poor fielding is a prominent issue which needs attention.