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

Women's Cricket World Cup, Navi Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs margin

Sri Lanka took four crucial dismissals in the last innings segment to complete a nail-biting triumph over Bangladesh and keep their slim aspirations of making it for the World Cup semi-finals alive.

Pursuing a below-par total of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in Navi Mumbai, Bangladesh wanted nine runs from the remaining six balls.

However, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu secured three important dismissals in four deliveries and de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to achieve a thrilling victory for Sri Lanka.

The win – the Lankan team's initial of the World Cup after three losses and two no-results against Australia and the Kiwi side – elevates them equal on four tournament points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who confront each other on Thursday.

Bangladesh, in contrast, experienced a fifth successive defeat since winning their tournament opener against the Pakistani team and have been knocked out.

Even though the Bangladeshi side got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa Akter taking a wicket with the opening bowl of the game to dismiss Gunaratne, they were rightfully penalized for a poor fielding effort.

They offered reprieves to Hasini Perera, who was dropped on three occasions, and the Lankan captain.

Although the Sri Lankan skipper was unable to make it count, removed leg before wicket for 46 one ball after being put down by Rabeya, Hasini Perera made Bangladesh suffer.

She registered a maiden international half-century, making 85 from 99 balls and sharing an significant 74-run stand fifth-wicket collaboration with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, guided by Shorna's impressive bowling figures, pulled themselves back to the contest, with Nilakshi's removal in the 34th bowling segment causing a Lankan collapse from 174-4 to 202 all out.

In reply, Sri Lanka's starting bowlers Malki Madara and Prabodhani restricted Bangladesh to 23-1 in a lacklustre powerplay and they were subsequently diminished to 44-3.

Sharmin Akter and Nigar Sultana Joty rebuilt their batting effort, adding 82 for the fourth wicket stand before Sharmin retired hurt for a resolute 64 in the 36th over.

It was leaning toward Bangladesh entering the final two bowling phases, with just 12 more runs necessary.

Yet, Dasanayaka removed Ritu and gave away just three runs before the captain's decisive intervention, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa all sent back as the Lankan team seized the win at the very end.

In the end, it was a match of composure. The highly experienced Athapaththu, who ushered away a several of teammates as she prepared to deliver the final over, maintained her nerve. The opposition did not.

There will be plenty of doubts about Bangladesh's batting display. They could easily have been chasing 270 or 280 with the Lankan team appearing settled on 159 for four in the 30th over, but in contrast the target was much lower.

However, Bangladesh lacked aggression from ball one, accumulating runs at less than 2.5 runs each over during the opening overs, experiencing a early batting collapse, and eventually forcing themselves excessive to do.

But no matter what difficulties there are with their batting, if they had accepted their catches in the fielding department, that 203-run target target would have been significantly smaller.

It required them three attempts to break the 72-run stand second-wicket association, with keeper Nigar Sultana failing to hold a difficult catch as wicketkeeper to send back Hasini Perera on her score of 23 before the captain got a reprieve from a caught and bowled chance opportunity against Rabeya.

Perera was spilled again on her score of 55 and her score of 63, the final opportunity traveling directly to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover, before finally being given out leg before wicket by Shorna Akter as she attempted to up the ante with batting partners being dismissed near her.

Subsequently in the game, there was additionally a failed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, while the second one was a little unfortunate, with Rubya Haider standing in with the wicketkeeping gloves following an fitness issue to the regular keeper.

Sadly for the team, such fielding problems are far from a one-off. They've failed to catch 14 chances from a available 27 at this tournament and boast the poorest catching success rate (less than 50%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are generally moving in the correct path – they are participating in just their second ODI World Cup ultimately – but substandard fielding is a glaring concern which demands focus.