The Lankan team beats Bangladesh to keep their World Cup campaign ongoing

Women's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

Sri Lanka took four wickets in the decisive innings segment to complete a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and maintain their narrow hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals ongoing.

Needing a below-par total of 203 on a good batting surface in Navi Mumbai, Bangladesh needed nine more runs from the remaining six balls.

Yet, Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu secured three wickets in four deliveries and Nilakshi de Silva ran out Nahida to secure a exciting victory for the Lankan team.

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

Bangladesh, however, suffered a fifth straight loss since securing victory in their initial game against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

While Bangladesh got off to the ideal beginning, with Marufa Akter taking a wicket with the initial ball of the encounter to dismiss Gunaratne, they were deservedly punished for a poor fielding effort.

They gifted second chances to Hasini Perera, who was missed three times, and Athapaththu.

While Athapaththu could not take advantage, sent back leg before wicket for 46 just one delivery after being missed by Rabeya, Hasini Perera forced the opposition pay.

She registered a first international half-century, accumulating 85 from 99 deliveries and building an important 74-run stand fifth-wicket association with Nilakshi de Silva.

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

While batting second, Sri Lanka's starting bowlers Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani contained the opposition to 23 for one in a uninspiring powerplay and they were subsequently diminished to 44 for three.

Sharmin Akter and Joty rebuilt their innings, contributing an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket stand before Sharmin retired hurt for a determined 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was leaning toward the chasing team heading into the final two bowling phases, with just 12 more runs required.

Yet, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu and gave away only three runs before Athapaththu's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida, captain Joty and Marufa all removed as Sri Lanka snatched the triumph at the very end.

In the end, it was a game of composure. The seasoned Athapaththu, who directed away a few of teammates as she prepared to bowl the final over, kept her composure. Bangladesh could not.

There will be plenty of doubts about the team's batting display. They possibly have been needing around 270-280 with Sri Lanka appearing at ease on 159 for four in the 30th over, but instead the chase was considerably smaller.

Nevertheless, Bangladesh displayed insufficient intent from ball one, accumulating runs at less than 2.5 runs each over during the initial phase, undergoing a initial wicket loss, and eventually leaving themselves excessive to achieve.

But whatever problems there are with their batting approach, if they had accepted their opportunities in the fielding department, that 203 total objective would have been considerably lower.

It required them three tries to break the 72-run stand second-wicket collaboration, with keeper Nigar Sultana being unable to grab a difficult chance as wicketkeeper to dismiss Hasini Perera on her score of 23 before the captain survived from a caught and bowled possibility against Rabeya.

The batter was dropped once more on 55 and 63 runs, the final opportunity traveling directly to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover, before ultimately being dismissed leg before wicket by Shorna as she attempted to up the ante with teammates being dismissed near her.

Later in the batting effort, there was additionally a stumping chance missed and a failed run-out, although the latter was a slightly unfortunate, with Rubya Haider deputising with the wicketkeeping gloves following an fitness issue to Joty.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, such fielding woes are not at all a isolated incident. They've failed to catch 14 catches from a possible 27 at this tournament and boast the lowest catching success rate (48.1%) of the participating teams.

They are a side who are typically moving in the correct path – they are participating in just their second one-day World Cup ultimately – but inadequate fielding is a glaring problem which demands improvement.