Sri Lanka overcomes the Bangladeshi side to maintain their World Cup tournament hopes alive

Women's Cricket World Cup, Navi 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); Chamari Athapaththu 4-42

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team took four crucial dismissals in the final over to seal a nail-biting win over their opponents and keep their narrow chances of making it for the World Cup semi-finals intact.

Chasing a attainable total of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in Navi Mumbai, the Bangladeshi team needed nine runs from the remaining six deliveries.

Yet, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu claimed three crucial wickets in four balls and de Silva ran out Nahida Akter to bring about a dramatic success for Sri Lanka.

The victory – Sri Lanka's initial of the competition after three losses and two no-results against the Australian team and the Kiwi side – moves them level on four tournament 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, endured a fifth consecutive setback since winning their first match against Pakistan and have been knocked out.

While the Bangladeshi side made the ideal beginning, with Marufa striking with the initial ball of the match to dismiss Vishmi Gunaratne, they were appropriately punished for a poor fielding display.

They provided reprieves to Perera, who was missed on three occasions, and the Lankan captain.

Even though the Sri Lankan skipper was unable to take advantage, sent back leg before wicket for 46 a single bowl after being put down by Rabeya, Hasini Perera forced the opposition pay.

She registered a maiden international half-century, accumulating 85 from 99 deliveries and contributing to an crucial 74-run stand fifth-wicket association with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, spearheaded by Shorna Akter's impressive bowling figures, dragged themselves back in the match, with De Silva's wicket in the 34th over initiating a Sri Lanka downfall from 174-4 to 202 complete.

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

Sharmin and Joty restored their innings, putting on an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the batter left the field injured for a resolute 64 in the 36th over.

It was advantage the chasing team approaching the final two overs, with just 12 runs necessary.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka sent back Ritu and conceded just three runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all removed as the Lankan team seized the victory at the very end.

In the end, it was a contest of nerve. The highly experienced Athapaththu, who ushered away a handful of teammates as she got ready to bowl the decisive over, held her composure. Bangladesh failed to.

There will be numerous doubts about the team's batting performance. They possibly have been needing 270 to 280 with the Lankan team appearing comfortable on 159 for four in the 30th bowling phase, but in contrast the chase was significantly less.

Nevertheless, the batting side lacked purpose from ball one, scoring at below 2.5 runs each over during the opening overs, suffering a initial wicket loss, and ultimately forcing themselves overwhelming to accomplish.

But no matter what difficulties there are with their batting lineup, if they had taken their catches in the fielding department, that 203 total target would have been considerably lower.

It took them three attempts to end the 72-run second-wicket association, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana being unable to hold a difficult catch behind the stumps to send back Hasini Perera on her score of 23 before the captain survived from a caught and bowled chance opportunity against Rabeya.

The batter was missed further on 55 runs and 63 runs, the final opportunity flying straight to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover, before eventually being dismissed lbw by Shorna as she attempted to increase the tempo with batting partners being dismissed near her.

Later in the batting effort, there was furthermore a missed stumping and a missed run-out, while the second one was a slightly unfortunate, with Rubya Haider standing in with the keeping duties following an physical problem to the regular keeper.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, such fielding woes are far from a one-off. They've failed to catch 14 chances from a available 27 chances at this tournament and display the lowest catch efficiency (less than 50%) of the participating teams.

They are a team who are typically heading in the right direction – they are participating in just their second ODI World Cup after all – but inadequate fielding standards is a obvious concern which needs attention.