The Lankan team defeats Bangladesh to keep their World Cup tournament hopes breathing

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team took four crucial dismissals in the decisive innings segment to seal a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and keep their faint hopes of making it for the tournament knockout stage alive.

Chasing a modest score of 203 on a favorable wicket in Navi Mumbai, the Bangladeshi team required nine additional runs from the final six balls.

However, Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu took three important dismissals in four balls and de Silva ran out Nahida Akter to bring about a thrilling victory for Sri Lanka.

The triumph – Sri Lanka's initial of the competition after three losses and two abandoned games against Australia and New Zealand – elevates them equal on four tournament points with India and New Zealand, who meet each other on the coming Thursday.

Bangladesh, in contrast, endured a fifth successive loss since securing victory in their tournament opener against Pakistan and have been eliminated.

Although Bangladesh made the excellent commencement, with Marufa Akter striking with the first delivery of the encounter to remove Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly punished for a disappointing fielding display.

They provided reprieves to Perera, who was dropped three times, and Athapaththu.

While Athapaththu was unable to capitalise, sent back lbw for 46 a single bowl after being dropped by Rabeya, Perera made the opposition regret it.

She achieved a first international 50-run score, making 85 from 99 balls and building an crucial 74-run fifth-wicket association with Nilakshi de Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, guided by Shorna's impressive bowling figures, dragged themselves back in the contest, with Nilakshi's wicket in the 34th over initiating a Lankan batting collapse from 174 for four to 202 all out.

In reply, the Lankan team's starting bowlers Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani contained the opposition to 23 with one wicket down in a disappointing initial phase and they were afterwards brought down to 44 with three wickets lost.

Sharmin Akter and Nigar Sultana Joty reconstructed their innings, adding an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket stand before Sharmin retired hurt for a stubborn 64 in the 36th over.

It was in favor of Bangladesh heading into the remaining two bowling phases, with merely 12 more runs necessary.

Nevertheless, Sugandika Dasanayaka sent back Ritu Moni and conceded just three runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa all removed as Sri Lanka grabbed the victory at the very end.

Ultimately, it was a game of composure. The seasoned Athapaththu, who moved aside a several of teammates as she prepared to deliver the decisive over, maintained her nerve. Bangladesh could not.

There will be plenty of doubts about the team's batting effort. They might well have been pursuing around 270-280 with the Lankan team looking comfortable on 159 with four wickets down in the 30th innings segment, but rather the required total was much lower.

Nevertheless, Bangladesh lacked intent from the very beginning, making runs at below 2.5 scoring rate during the powerplay, experiencing a initial wicket loss, and ultimately making themselves excessive to accomplish.

But whatever difficulties there are with their batting lineup, if they had seized their catches in the field, that 203 total goal would have been considerably lower.

It required them three attempts to end the 72-run second-wicket association, with keeper Joty not managing to hold a tough catch as wicketkeeper to send back Hasini Perera on 23 before Athapaththu survived from a caught and bowled chance against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was dropped once more on 55 runs and 63, the final opportunity flying right to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover, before ultimately being dismissed lbw by Shorna Akter as she attempted to increase the tempo with batting partners getting out beside her.

Subsequently in the game, there was furthermore a missed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, even though the run-out chance was a somewhat unfortunate, with Jhilik standing in with the keeping duties following an fitness issue to Joty.

Unfortunately for the team, such fielding woes are not at all a isolated incident. They've dropped 14 catches from a possible 27 chances at this competition and have the worst catch efficiency (less than 50%) of the competing sides.

They are a team who are overall heading in the correct path – they are competing in just their second one-day World Cup in the end – but substandard fielding is a prominent concern which demands focus.