The Lankan team overcomes the Bangladeshi side to preserve their campaign breathing

Women's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka win by seven runs margin

Sri Lanka claimed four crucial dismissals in the decisive over to complete a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and keep their slim aspirations of making it for the tournament knockout stage ongoing.

Pursuing a attainable target of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in the Mumbai stadium, the Bangladeshi team wanted nine more runs from the final six bowls.

Nevertheless, Lankan skipper Athapaththu took three crucial wickets in four balls and de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida to bring about a exciting win for the Lankan team.

The triumph – Sri Lanka's initial of the World Cup after three unsuccessful matches and two washed-out matches against the Australian team and New Zealand – elevates them equal on four match points with the Indian team and the New Zealand side, who face each other on the coming Thursday.

The Bangladeshi team, in contrast, experienced a fifth successive setback since winning their tournament opener against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

While Bangladesh got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa striking with the first delivery of the encounter to remove Gunaratne, they were deservedly penalized for a disappointing fielding performance.

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

Although Athapaththu could not capitalise, dismissed lbw for 46 one ball after being put down by Rabeya, Perera made the opposition regret it.

She registered a first international half-century, making 85 from 99 bowls and contributing to an crucial 74-run stand fifth-wicket association with Nilakshi de Silva.

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

While batting second, the Lankan team's opening bowlers Madara and Prabodhani restricted Bangladesh to 23-1 in a lacklustre opening overs and they were subsequently diminished to 44 for three.

Sharmin Akter and Joty reconstructed their batting effort, putting on 82 for the fourth wicket stand before the batter withdrew due to injury for a resolute 64 in the 36th over.

It was leaning toward the chasing team approaching the remaining two overs, with merely 12 runs needed.

Yet, Dasanayaka dismissed Ritu and gave away merely three runs before the captain's dramatic spell, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa all removed as Sri Lanka grabbed the triumph at the very end.

Ultimately, it was a contest of nerves. The very experienced Athapaththu, who moved aside a few of teammates as she prepared to bowl the final over, maintained her composure. The opposition failed to.

There will be numerous inquiries about Bangladesh's batting performance. They could easily have been pursuing around 270-280 with the Lankan team seeming comfortable on 159 with four wickets down in the 30th bowling phase, but instead the required total was significantly less.

Nevertheless, the batting side lacked purpose from the start, accumulating runs at less than 2.5 runs each over during the initial phase, suffering a top-order collapse, and finally making themselves too much to do.

But whatever problems there are with their batting approach, if they had taken their chances in the fielding department, that 203-run target would have been significantly smaller.

It required them three efforts to terminate the 72-run stand second-wicket collaboration, with keeper Joty not managing to grab a difficult catch while keeping to send back Hasini Perera on 23 runs before the captain was spared from a caught and bowled chance against Rabeya Khan.

The batter was spilled further on 55 and 63, the final opportunity flying right to Jhilik at cover field, before finally being trapped lbw by Shorna as she sought to up the ante with partners getting out around her.

Later in the innings, there was also a stumping chance missed and a missed run-out, even though the second one was a little regrettable, with Rubya Haider deputising with the gloves following an injury to the regular keeper.

Unfortunately for the team, such fielding woes are not at all a isolated incident. They've dropped 14 chances from a potential 27 opportunities at this World Cup and have the worst catch efficiency (less than 50%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are generally moving in the proper way – they are competing in just their second 50-over World Cup in the end – but poor fielding standards is a glaring problem which needs focus.