Sri Lanka overcomes the Bangladeshi side to preserve their tournament hopes alive

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

The Lankan side win by seven runs margin

Sri Lanka secured four wickets in the last innings segment to seal a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and maintain their narrow chances of making it for the World Cup semi-finals alive.

Needing a attainable target of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh needed nine additional runs from the last six deliveries.

However, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu claimed three wickets in four bowls and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to bring about a thrilling win for Sri Lanka.

The win – the Lankan team's first of the World Cup after three losses and two abandoned games against the Australian team and New Zealand – elevates them level on four tournament points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who face each other on Thursday.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, suffered a fifth straight loss since securing victory in their tournament opener against Pakistan and have been knocked out.

Although Bangladesh got off to the perfect start, with Marufa Akter striking with the opening bowl of the game to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly made to pay for a subpar fielding display.

They offered reprieves to Hasini Perera, who was dropped multiple times, and Athapaththu.

While Athapaththu was unable to capitalise, removed lbw for 46 a single bowl after being put down by Rabeya, Hasini Perera made Bangladesh regret it.

She scored a debut international half-century, scoring 85 from 99 bowls and sharing an crucial 74-run stand fifth-wicket with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, guided by Shorna's 3-27, dragged themselves back in the match, with Nilakshi's dismissal in the 34th innings segment triggering a Lankan collapse from 174 for four to 202 complete.

In reply, the Lankan team's opening bowlers Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani restricted the opposition to 23 for one in a lacklustre powerplay and they were later reduced to 44 for three.

Sharmin and Nigar Sultana Joty rebuilt their batting effort, contributing 82 runs for the fourth wicket before Sharmin retired hurt for a determined 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was leaning toward Bangladesh approaching the last two overs, with just 12 more runs necessary.

Nevertheless, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu Moni and gave away only three scoring runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida, skipper Joty and Marufa all removed as Sri Lanka grabbed the triumph at the death.

Finally, it was a game of nerves. The seasoned Lankan captain, who directed away a handful of teammates as she got ready to deliver the final over, maintained hers. The opposition failed to.

There will be numerous doubts about the team's batting effort. They could easily have been needing 270 or 280 with the Lankan team seeming settled on 159-4 in the 30th innings segment, but instead the required total was much lower.

Nevertheless, the batting side displayed insufficient aggression from ball one, scoring at less than 2.5 runs each over during the initial phase, undergoing a initial wicket loss, and finally forcing themselves overwhelming to achieve.

But no matter what issues there are with their batting approach, if they had seized their catches in the field, that 203 total objective would have been significantly smaller.

It took them three efforts to break the 72-run second-wicket association, with keeper Nigar Sultana not managing to take a difficult catch as wicketkeeper to remove Hasini Perera on 23 before the captain survived from a caught and bowled chance against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was missed further on 55 runs and 63, the last attempt traveling right to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being dismissed lbw by Shorna Akter as she attempted to up the ante with batting partners getting out near her.

Afterwards in the innings, there was additionally a failed stumping and a failed run-out, even though the run-out chance was a slightly unlucky, with Rubya Haider deputising with the wicketkeeping gloves due to an fitness issue to the regular keeper.

Unfortunately for the team, such fielding issues are not at all a isolated incident. They've dropped 14 chances from a available 27 opportunities at this tournament and display the worst fielding effectiveness (48.1 percent) of the participating teams.

They are a team who are overall progressing in the right direction – they are participating in only their second 50-over World Cup ultimately – but inadequate fielding standards is a obvious concern which demands focus.