The Lankan team defeats the Bangladeshi side to keep their World Cup campaign breathing

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team secured four crucial dismissals in the decisive over to achieve a heart-stopping triumph over Bangladesh and keep their slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals alive.

Pursuing a attainable target of 203 on a favorable wicket in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh wanted nine additional runs from the remaining six deliveries.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu secured three crucial wickets in four balls and de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to secure a thrilling win for Sri Lanka.

The win – the Lankan team's initial of the World Cup after three unsuccessful matches and two no-results against the Australian team and the Kiwi side – moves them equal on four tournament points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who face each other on the coming Thursday.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, endured a fifth consecutive loss since securing victory in their tournament opener against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

While Bangladesh got off to the perfect start, with Marufa striking with the opening bowl of the encounter to dismiss Gunaratne, they were deservedly made to pay for a disappointing fielding display.

They gifted second chances to Perera, who was spilled multiple times, and the Lankan captain.

Even though the Sri Lankan skipper was unable to take advantage, removed leg before wicket for 46 one ball after being dropped by Rabeya, Hasini Perera made Bangladesh pay.

She scored a debut international fifty, making 85 from 99 deliveries and building an crucial 74-run partnership fifth-wicket with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, spearheaded by Shorna Akter's impressive bowling figures, fought themselves back into the contest, with Nilakshi's dismissal in the 34th bowling segment causing a Lankan collapse from 174 for four to 202 all out.

In reply, Sri Lanka's opening bowlers Madara and Prabodhani limited the opposition to 23 for one in a disappointing powerplay and they were later diminished to 44-3.

Sharmin and Nigar Sultana Joty restored their batting effort, putting on an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the batter withdrew due to injury for a determined 64 in the 36th over.

It was leaning toward Bangladesh heading into the remaining two innings segments, with just 12 runs necessary.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu Moni and conceded just three runs before the captain's chaos, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all dismissed as Sri Lanka grabbed the win at the death.

In the end, it was a game of nerve. The very experienced Athapaththu, who ushered away a few of teammates as she prepared to bowl the decisive over, held her composure. The opposition failed to.

There will be many inquiries about Bangladesh's batting display. They might well have been needing 270 to 280 with Sri Lanka appearing at ease on 159 with four wickets down in the 30th over, but in contrast the chase was much lower.

However, Bangladesh lacked intent from ball one, accumulating runs at below 2.5 runs each over during the opening overs, experiencing a early batting collapse, and ultimately leaving themselves excessive to achieve.

But whatever difficulties there are with their batting, if they had seized their opportunities in the field, that 203 total goal would have been significantly smaller.

It required them three tries to break the 72-run second-wicket association, with wicketkeeper Joty being unable to hold a challenging catch behind the stumps to remove Hasini Perera on 23 runs before Athapaththu got a reprieve from a caught and bowled chance against Rabeya.

Perera was missed again on 55 and 63 runs, the last attempt flying straight to Jhilik at cover, before eventually being given out leg before wicket by Shorna as she attempted to up the ante with batting partners being dismissed beside her.

Afterwards in the batting effort, there was furthermore a missed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, even though the latter was a little unlucky, with Jhilik substituting with the keeping duties after an injury to Joty.

Regrettably for the team, such fielding woes are far from a single occurrence. They've dropped 14 catches from a available 27 opportunities at this tournament and display the poorest fielding effectiveness (less than 50%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are typically progressing in the correct path – they are competing in only their second 50-over World Cup ultimately – but poor fielding is a glaring problem which needs attention.