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

Women's Cricket World Cup, Navi Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka win by seven runs

Sri Lanka secured four wickets in the decisive over to complete a heart-stopping win over their opponents and preserve their narrow chances of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals intact.

Needing a attainable total of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh wanted nine more runs from the last six deliveries.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu took three important dismissals in four bowls and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to achieve a dramatic win for the Lankan team.

The win – Sri Lanka's maiden of the tournament after three defeats and two no-results against the Australian team and New Zealand – moves them level on four match points with the Indian team and the New Zealand side, who face each other on the coming Thursday.

The Bangladeshi team, on the other hand, suffered a fifth successive defeat since winning their initial game against the Pakistani team and have been eliminated.

While the Bangladeshi side made the excellent commencement, with Marufa striking with the opening bowl of the encounter to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly made to pay for a disappointing fielding display.

They gifted reprieves to Perera, who was missed multiple times, and the Lankan captain.

Even though Athapaththu failed to take advantage, dismissed lbw for 46 a single bowl after being missed by Rabeya, Hasini Perera made Bangladesh pay.

She achieved a debut international half-century, making 85 from 99 bowls and sharing an significant 74-run stand fifth-wicket with De Silva.

Bangladesh, guided by Shorna's 3-27, pulled themselves back into the contest, with Nilakshi's dismissal in the 34th over initiating a Sri Lanka batting collapse from 174 for four to 202 total.

During their chase, the Lankan team's initial pace attack Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani contained the opposition to 23 for one in a lacklustre powerplay and they were later brought down to 44 for three.

Sharmin and Nigar Sultana Joty rebuilt their batting effort, contributing an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket collaboration before the batter retired hurt for a resolute 64 in the 36th innings segment.

It was leaning toward Bangladesh heading into the remaining two innings segments, with merely 12 runs required.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu and allowed just three runs before Athapaththu's chaos, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa Akter all removed as the Lankan team snatched the win at the very end.

Ultimately, it was a contest of nerves. The highly experienced Athapaththu, who ushered away a several of teammates as she prepared to bowl the last over, held her composure. The opposition could not.

There will be numerous doubts about the team's batting effort. They possibly have been pursuing 270 to 280 with Sri Lanka seeming at ease on 159 for four in the 30th innings segment, but in contrast the chase was significantly less.

Yet, the batting side lacked intent from ball one, making runs at less than 2.5 runs each over during the opening overs, experiencing a initial wicket loss, and eventually making themselves too much to achieve.

But whatever problems there are with their batting, if they had accepted their opportunities in the fielding area, that 203 total target would have been significantly smaller.

It required them three efforts to end the 72-run partnership second-wicket, with keeper Nigar Sultana not managing to hold a tough chance as wicketkeeper to send back Perera on 23 runs before the captain survived from a return catch possibility against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was spilled further on 55 and her score of 63, the last attempt going straight to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being dismissed lbw by Shorna as she tried to accelerate the scoring with batting partners getting out beside her.

Subsequently in the game, there was additionally a failed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, even though the latter was a slightly unlucky, with Rubya Haider deputising with the wicketkeeping gloves after an physical problem to the regular keeper.

Sadly for Bangladesh, such fielding issues are not at all a one-off. They've failed to catch 14 opportunities from a potential 27 opportunities at this World Cup and boast the poorest fielding effectiveness (48.1%) of the competing sides.

They are a team who are generally heading in the proper way – they are participating in only their second 50-over World Cup after all – but inadequate fielding performance is a obvious concern which needs attention.