Sri Lanka defeats the Bangladeshi side to keep their World Cup tournament hopes alive

Women's Cricket World Cup, Navi Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka win by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team secured four crucial dismissals in the last innings segment to complete a nail-biting triumph over Bangladesh and keep their slim chances of making it for the World Cup semi-finals alive.

Needing a modest score of 203 on a good batting surface in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh needed nine runs from the last six deliveries.

Yet, Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu took three important dismissals in four balls and de Silva ran out Nahida to bring about a thrilling success for Sri Lanka.

The win – the Lankan team's initial of the tournament after three defeats and two no-results against the Australian team and New Zealand – elevates them level on four tournament points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who meet each other on the coming Thursday.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, endured a fifth straight loss since securing victory in their initial game against Pakistan and have been removed from contention.

Although the Bangladeshi side got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa Akter taking a wicket with the initial ball of the encounter to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were rightfully punished for a disappointing fielding performance.

They provided reprieves to Hasini Perera, who was dropped multiple times, and the Lankan captain.

While Athapaththu was unable to take advantage, removed lbw for 46 a single bowl after being dropped by Rabeya Khan, Perera forced the opposition regret it.

She scored a maiden international 50-run score, scoring 85 from 99 bowls and contributing to an significant 74-run partnership fifth-wicket with Nilakshi de Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, spearheaded by Shorna Akter's 3-27, dragged themselves back in the contest, with Nilakshi's wicket in the 34th over initiating a Sri Lanka collapse from 174 with four wickets down to 202 total.

During their chase, Sri Lanka's starting bowlers Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani restricted Bangladesh to 23-1 in a uninspiring opening overs and they were subsequently diminished to 44-3.

Sharmin and Joty rebuilt their score, putting on 82 for the fourth wicket before the batter withdrew due to injury for a resolute 64 in the 36th over.

It was leaning toward the chasing team approaching the last two bowling phases, with just 12 additional runs required.

However, Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu and gave away just three runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa all sent back as the Lankan team seized the victory at the death.

In the end, it was a contest of nerve. The very experienced Athapaththu, who moved aside a few of fellow players as she got ready to deliver the last over, kept her composure. The opposition could not.

There will be many questions about Bangladesh's batting display. They possibly have been needing 270 to 280 with Sri Lanka seeming at ease on 159-4 in the 30th over, but rather the required total was much lower.

Nevertheless, the batting side displayed insufficient purpose from the start, making runs at below 2.5 runs each over during the opening overs, experiencing a early batting collapse, and eventually leaving themselves too much to do.

But whatever problems there are with their batting lineup, if they had seized their catches in the fielding department, that 203 total goal would have been significantly lower.

It required them three attempts to terminate the 72-run stand second-wicket association, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana being unable to hold a difficult catch behind the stumps to dismiss Hasini Perera on 23 runs before the captain survived from a caught and bowled opportunity against Rabeya.

The batter was missed again on her score of 55 and 63 runs, the last attempt flying directly to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being given out leg before wicket by Shorna as she tried to up the ante with teammates falling beside her.

Afterwards in the game, there was additionally a stumping chance missed and a run-out opportunity lost, although the latter was a slightly unlucky, with Rubya Haider deputising with the wicketkeeping gloves following an fitness issue to Joty.

Sadly for Bangladesh, such fielding woes are far from a one-off. They've dropped 14 opportunities from a available 27 at this World Cup and boast the worst catch efficiency (48.1 percent) of the eight teams.

They are a squad who are typically heading in the proper way – they are participating in just their second 50-over World Cup in the end – but poor fielding standards is a obvious concern which requires attention.