The Lankan team defeats Bangladesh to keep their World Cup tournament hopes ongoing

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs margin

Sri Lanka claimed four wickets in the final innings segment to seal a nail-biting triumph over their opponents and preserve their slim hopes of qualifying for the tournament knockout stage intact.

Needing a below-par score of 203 on a good batting surface in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh required nine additional runs from the final six bowls.

However, Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu secured three wickets in four bowls and Nilakshi de Silva ran out Nahida to secure a dramatic win for Sri Lanka.

The win – Sri Lanka's initial of the tournament after three unsuccessful matches and two washed-out matches against the Australian team and New Zealand – moves them tied on four match points with India and the New Zealand side, who meet each other on Thursday.

Bangladesh, however, experienced a fifth straight defeat since winning their tournament opener against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

Even though Bangladesh made the ideal beginning, with Marufa striking with the opening bowl of the encounter to remove Vishmi Gunaratne, they were rightfully penalized for a disappointing fielding display.

They offered reprieves to Hasini Perera, who was dropped multiple times, and Athapaththu.

Although Athapaththu was unable to take advantage, sent back leg before wicket for 46 just one delivery after being missed by Rabeya, Perera forced Bangladesh pay.

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

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

During their chase, the Lankan team's opening bowlers Madara and Prabodhani contained Bangladesh to 23 for one in a disappointing powerplay and they were subsequently brought down to 44-3.

Sharmin Akter and Joty restored their score, putting on 82 for the fourth wicket collaboration before Sharmin left the field injured for a resolute 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was in favor of Bangladesh approaching the remaining two innings segments, with just 12 more runs needed.

Yet, Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu Moni and gave away just three runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa all sent back as Sri Lanka grabbed the triumph at the death.

Ultimately, it was a contest of composure. The very experienced Athapaththu, who moved aside a few of fellow players as she prepared to deliver the final over, maintained her nerve. Bangladesh could not.

There will be many questions about the team's batting display. They possibly have been chasing around 270-280 with Sri Lanka looking comfortable on 159-4 in the 30th over, but rather the chase was significantly less.

Yet, the batting side displayed insufficient aggression from ball one, making runs at below 2.5 runs per over during the initial phase, experiencing a initial wicket loss, and finally making themselves too much to accomplish.

But no matter what problems there are with their batting approach, if they had seized their chances in the fielding department, that 203-run target goal would have been considerably less.

It took them three tries to end the 72-run stand second-wicket, with keeper Joty being unable to take a challenging chance as wicketkeeper to dismiss Perera on her score of 23 before the captain got a reprieve from a caught and bowled opportunity against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was missed again on 55 and her score of 63, the last attempt flying right to Jhilik at cover field, before ultimately being trapped leg before wicket by Shorna Akter as she sought to up the ante with partners getting out near her.

Subsequently in the batting effort, there was furthermore a failed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, even though the latter was a slightly unlucky, with Rubya Haider substituting with the gloves due to an physical problem to Joty.

Unfortunately for the team, such fielding issues are not at all a one-off. They've failed to catch 14 catches from a potential 27 at this World Cup and have the poorest catching success rate (48.1 percent) of the eight teams.

They are a squad who are generally moving in the right direction – they are playing in only their second one-day World Cup in the end – but substandard fielding performance is a prominent problem which needs attention.