The Lankan team beats Bangladesh to preserve their World Cup campaign 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); Chamari Athapaththu 4-42

Sri Lanka emerge victorious by seven runs

Sri Lanka secured four crucial dismissals in the last innings segment to seal a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and keep their faint hopes of qualifying for the tournament knockout stage alive.

Needing a modest total of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in Navi Mumbai, the Bangladeshi team required nine runs from the remaining six bowls.

Yet, Lankan skipper Athapaththu secured three crucial wickets in four bowls and Nilakshi de Silva dismissed via run-out Nahida Akter to secure a dramatic success for the Lankan team.

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

The Bangladeshi team, however, suffered a fifth consecutive loss since securing victory in their initial game against the Pakistani team and have been removed from contention.

Even though the Bangladeshi side got off to the ideal beginning, with Marufa striking with the initial ball of the match to dismiss Gunaratne, they were appropriately punished for a poor fielding display.

They gifted reprieves to Perera, who was dropped on three occasions, and the Lankan captain.

While Athapaththu could not capitalise, dismissed lbw for 46 one ball after being missed by Rabeya Khan, Perera forced the opposition suffer.

She achieved a maiden international fifty, making 85 from 99 deliveries and contributing to an significant 74-run partnership fifth-wicket collaboration with Nilakshi de Silva.

The Bangladeshi team, led by Shorna's impressive bowling figures, pulled themselves back in the contest, with De Silva's dismissal in the 34th over triggering a Lankan batting collapse from 174 with four wickets down to 202 all out.

In reply, Sri Lanka's opening bowlers Malki Madara and Prabodhani contained Bangladesh to 23 for one in a uninspiring powerplay and they were later brought down to 44 for three.

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

It was in favor of the chasing team entering the final two bowling phases, with just 12 runs needed.

However, Dasanayaka removed Ritu and allowed just three scoring runs before the captain's decisive intervention, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa Akter all dismissed as the Lankan team grabbed the win at the death.

In the end, it was a game of nerves. The highly experienced Athapaththu, who directed away a few of fellow players as she got ready to bowl the decisive over, held her composure. Bangladesh failed to.

There will be numerous inquiries about Bangladesh's batting effort. They could easily have been chasing 270 or 280 with Sri Lanka appearing at ease on 159 for four in the 30th bowling phase, but rather the target was much lower.

Nevertheless, Bangladesh lacked purpose from ball one, accumulating runs at under 2.5 scoring rate during the powerplay, suffering a early batting collapse, and ultimately making themselves excessive to do.

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

It required them three tries to terminate the 72-run partnership second-wicket collaboration, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana failing to hold a tough opportunity as wicketkeeper to dismiss Perera on 23 before Athapaththu was spared from a return catch chance against Rabeya Khan.

Perera was missed further on her score of 55 and 63, the final opportunity going directly to Rubya Haider Jhilik at cover field, before finally being dismissed leg before wicket by Shorna Akter as she tried to accelerate the scoring with partners getting out near her.

Afterwards in the game, there was also a missed stumping and a missed run-out, although the second one was a little regrettable, with Jhilik substituting with the keeping duties after an physical problem to the regular keeper.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, such fielding issues are far from a one-off. They've failed to catch 14 catches from a possible 27 opportunities at this tournament and display the lowest fielding effectiveness (less than 50%) of the eight teams.

They are a squad who are generally progressing in the correct path – they are participating in just their second ODI World Cup in the end – but substandard fielding performance is a glaring issue which needs improvement.