Sri Lanka overcomes the Bangladeshi side to preserve their World Cup tournament hopes breathing

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

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

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team took four crucial dismissals in the final over to achieve a nail-biting win over Bangladesh and maintain their faint aspirations of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals ongoing.

Chasing a attainable target of 203 on a good batting surface in the Mumbai stadium, the Bangladeshi team needed nine runs from the remaining six balls.

Yet, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu took three important dismissals in four balls and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida Akter to bring about a exciting victory for the Lankan team.

The victory – Sri Lanka's first of the tournament after three unsuccessful matches and two no-results against Australia and the Kiwi side – pushes them level on four tournament points with India and the New Zealand side, who confront each other on Thursday.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, suffered a fifth successive defeat since securing victory in their initial game against Pakistan and have been removed from contention.

Even though the Bangladeshi side got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa Akter striking with the opening bowl of the match to remove Vishmi Gunaratne, they were appropriately made to pay for a subpar fielding display.

They provided lifelines to Perera, who was missed three times, and Athapaththu.

While the Sri Lankan skipper failed to make it count, dismissed lbw for 46 a single bowl after being put down by Rabeya, Perera forced Bangladesh regret it.

She registered a debut international half-century, making 85 from 99 balls and sharing an important 74-run partnership fifth-wicket association with Nilakshi de Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, spearheaded by Shorna Akter's 3-27, dragged themselves back in the contest, with Nilakshi's wicket in the 34th innings segment initiating a Sri Lanka collapse from 174 for four to 202 complete.

During their chase, Sri Lanka's initial pace attack Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani limited the opposition to 23-1 in a uninspiring opening overs and they were subsequently brought down to 44-3.

Sharmin and Nigar Sultana Joty rebuilt their batting effort, contributing an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Sharmin left the field injured for a stubborn 64 in the 36th innings segment.

It was leaning toward the chasing team approaching the final two bowling phases, with only 12 additional runs needed.

Yet, Sugandika Dasanayaka removed Ritu and conceded just three runs before Athapaththu's dramatic spell, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all dismissed as the Lankan team grabbed the victory at the very end.

In the end, it was a game of composure. The highly experienced Lankan captain, who ushered away a few of team-mates as she prepared to bowl the final over, kept her nerve. Bangladesh did not.

There will be plenty of questions about Bangladesh's batting display. They possibly have been needing 270 to 280 with the Lankan team seeming comfortable on 159 with four wickets down in the 30th bowling phase, but in contrast the target was much lower.

However, the batting side lacked intent from the very beginning, making runs at less than 2.5 scoring rate during the powerplay, suffering a initial wicket loss, and ultimately forcing themselves too much to achieve.

But no matter what problems there are with their batting approach, if they had taken their chances in the field, that 203 total target would have been significantly lower.

It took them three tries to end the 72-run second-wicket collaboration, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana not managing to grab a tough opportunity as wicketkeeper to send back Perera on 23 before Athapaththu survived from a return catch possibility against Rabeya.

Perera was spilled further on 55 runs and her score of 63, the latter chance going right to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being dismissed leg before wicket by Shorna as she tried to up the ante with teammates falling near her.

Afterwards in the batting effort, there was furthermore a stumping chance missed and a failed run-out, although the latter was a slightly unlucky, with Jhilik substituting with the wicketkeeping gloves due to an physical problem to Joty.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, such fielding issues are far from a single occurrence. They've failed to catch 14 chances from a possible 27 opportunities at this tournament and have the lowest fielding effectiveness (48.1%) of the competing sides.

They are a side who are typically moving in the proper way – they are competing in only their second one-day World Cup in the end – but substandard fielding is a glaring concern which requires focus.