The Lankan team overcomes the Bangladeshi side to keep their tournament hopes alive

Women's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka win by seven runs

Sri Lanka claimed four wickets in the decisive innings segment to complete a thrilling victory over Bangladesh and keep their slim aspirations of making it for the World Cup semi-finals ongoing.

Pursuing a below-par total of 203 on a good batting surface in Navi Mumbai, Bangladesh wanted nine additional runs from the last six balls.

However, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu claimed three important dismissals in four deliveries and Nilakshi de Silva ran out Nahida to secure a thrilling success for the Lankan team.

The victory – Sri Lanka's initial of the tournament after three defeats and two washed-out matches against the Australian team and the Kiwi side – elevates them level on four tournament points with India and New Zealand, who face each other on the coming Thursday.

Bangladesh, however, endured a fifth straight loss since securing victory in their tournament opener against Pakistan and have been eliminated.

Even though Bangladesh got off to the ideal beginning, with Marufa striking with the opening bowl of the match to dismiss Gunaratne, they were rightfully penalized for a disappointing fielding performance.

They offered lifelines to Perera, who was missed on three occasions, and the Lankan captain.

While Athapaththu could not take advantage, dismissed leg before wicket for 46 just one delivery after being missed by Rabeya, Hasini Perera forced the opposition pay.

She registered a debut international 50-run score, accumulating 85 from 99 balls and sharing an important 74-run partnership fifth-wicket collaboration with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, spearheaded by Shorna's three wickets for 27 runs, fought themselves back in the match, with De Silva's dismissal in the 34th bowling segment initiating a Sri Lanka batting collapse from 174 for four to 202 all out.

While batting second, Sri Lanka's initial pace attack Madara and Prabodhani limited Bangladesh to 23 for one in a lacklustre powerplay and they were later brought down to 44-3.

Sharmin Akter and Joty reconstructed their score, contributing 82 for the fourth wicket collaboration before the batter withdrew due to injury for a determined 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was advantage the chasing team heading into the remaining two bowling phases, with just 12 additional runs needed.

Nevertheless, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu Moni and gave away merely three runs before the captain's decisive intervention, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa Akter all dismissed as the Lankan team snatched the triumph at the final moment.

In the end, it was a game of nerves. The seasoned Athapaththu, who ushered away a several of fellow players as she set herself to deliver the decisive over, held her composure. The opposition did not.

There will be numerous doubts about Bangladesh's batting performance. They possibly have been chasing 270 to 280 with the Lankan team appearing comfortable on 159 for four in the 30th innings segment, but rather the target was much lower.

Yet, the batting side displayed insufficient intent from the very beginning, scoring at less than 2.5 runs per over during the powerplay, suffering a top-order collapse, and eventually forcing themselves overwhelming to accomplish.

But whatever issues there are with their batting lineup, if they had taken their catches in the fielding department, that 203-run target target would have been significantly less.

It took them three attempts to end the 72-run second-wicket, with wicketkeeper Joty being unable to hold a challenging catch as wicketkeeper to remove Hasini Perera on 23 runs before the captain was spared from a return catch possibility against Rabeya.

Perera was spilled further on 55 and 63 runs, the latter chance traveling right to Jhilik at cover position, before ultimately being given out lbw by Shorna Akter as she attempted to up the ante with partners falling beside her.

Later in the game, there was additionally a failed stumping and a missed run-out, while the latter was a somewhat unlucky, with Rubya Haider standing in with the gloves following an physical problem to Joty.

Regrettably for the team, such fielding woes are nowhere near a one-off. They've missed 14 chances from a possible 27 at this World Cup and boast the lowest fielding effectiveness (48.1%) of the competing sides.

They are a squad who are overall heading in the correct path – they are playing in just their second one-day World Cup ultimately – but poor fielding performance is a prominent problem which demands focus.