The Lankan team defeats the Bangladeshi side to preserve their tournament hopes ongoing

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

The Lankan side emerge victorious by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team took four crucial dismissals in the final innings segment to seal a thrilling victory over their opponents and keep their narrow aspirations of making it for the tournament knockout stage alive.

Pursuing a below-par target of 203 on a good batting surface in the Mumbai stadium, Bangladesh wanted nine more runs from the final six balls.

Yet, Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu claimed three wickets in four balls and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida Akter to secure a dramatic win for Sri Lanka.

The triumph – Sri Lanka's maiden of the tournament after three defeats and two no-results against the Australian team and the Kiwi side – moves them level on four match points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who meet each other on the coming Thursday.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, experienced a fifth successive setback since winning their tournament opener against the Pakistani team and have been knocked out.

Although Bangladesh got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa striking with the initial ball of the game to dismiss Vishmi Gunaratne, they were deservedly penalized for a subpar fielding display.

They provided second chances to Hasini Perera, who was missed multiple times, and the Lankan captain.

Although Athapaththu was unable to make it count, removed lbw for 46 a single bowl after being put down by Rabeya, Perera made the opposition suffer.

She achieved a debut international 50-run score, accumulating 85 from 99 bowls and building an significant 74-run partnership fifth-wicket with De Silva.

Bangladesh, guided by Shorna's three wickets for 27 runs, pulled themselves back to the contest, with De Silva's dismissal in the 34th innings segment triggering a Sri Lanka downfall from 174 for four to 202 all out.

During their chase, the Lankan team's initial pace attack Malki Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani restricted the opposition to 23-1 in a disappointing powerplay and they were afterwards reduced to 44 for three.

Sharmin and Joty rebuilt their batting effort, contributing 82 for the fourth wicket before Sharmin withdrew due to injury for a resolute 64 in the 36th innings segment.

It was advantage Bangladesh heading into the last two bowling phases, with only 12 more runs needed.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu Moni and gave away only three scoring runs before Athapaththu's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa all sent back as the Lankan team seized the win at the final moment.

Finally, it was a game of nerves. The very experienced Lankan captain, who directed away a several of teammates as she set herself to deliver the last over, kept her composure. The opposition failed to.

There will be plenty of inquiries about Bangladesh's batting display. They possibly have been chasing 270 or 280 with the Lankan team looking settled on 159-4 in the 30th over, but in contrast the chase was significantly less.

Nevertheless, Bangladesh showed little purpose from ball one, accumulating runs at below 2.5 runs per over during the initial phase, suffering a top-order collapse, and finally forcing themselves too much to do.

But no matter what problems there are with their batting approach, if they had seized their opportunities in the field, that 203 total goal would have been considerably smaller.

It took them three tries to terminate the 72-run partnership second-wicket collaboration, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana being unable to hold a difficult catch behind the stumps to remove Hasini Perera on her score of 23 before the captain was spared from a caught and bowled chance possibility against Rabeya.

The batter was spilled again on 55 and 63, the latter chance going straight to Jhilik at cover, before finally being dismissed lbw by Shorna as she tried to increase the tempo with teammates being dismissed near her.

Afterwards in the game, there was additionally a missed stumping and a run-out opportunity lost, although the second one was a little unlucky, with Jhilik substituting with the keeping duties due to an injury to Joty.

Unfortunately for the team, such fielding woes are not at all a single occurrence. They've dropped 14 opportunities from a available 27 at this tournament and have the lowest fielding effectiveness (less than 50%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are typically heading in the right direction – they are playing in just their second 50-over World Cup after all – but poor fielding performance is a glaring concern which needs improvement.