Bangladesh as soon as once more let victory slip via their fingers, falling agonizingly quick in a must-win conflict towards Sri Lanka in Navi Mumbai on Monday, October 20. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu introduced out her greatest in an exhilarating ultimate over to seal a dramatic seven-run win, and likewise ending Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Ladies’s World Cup 2025.
Bangladesh appeared in management for a lot of the competition, notably throughout Sri Lanka’s batting innings. After dropping an early wicket, Athapaththu and Hasini Perera constructed a stable 72-run partnership to put the inspiration for a aggressive whole. Nevertheless, a middle-order collapse sparked by spinner Nahida Akter checked Sri Lanka’s progress.
SL vs BAN, Ladies’s World Cup 2025 Highlights
Perera’s composed knock of 85, mixed with Nilakshi de Silva’s useful 37, helped the facet recuperate. However a flurry of late wickets and the tail’s battle to speed up left Sri Lanka in need of what initially appeared a par rating, setting Bangladesh a goal of 203.
In response, Bangladesh recovered from early setbacks via a stabilizing 82-run stand between Sharmin Akter and captain Nigar Sultana. Each batsmen regarded comfy rotating strike and punishing unfastened deliveries. Nevertheless, Bangladesh’s momentum stalled when Akter was pressured to retire harm resulting from cramps, leaving Sultana to shoulder the chase alone.
The skipper tried to anchor the innings, maintaining the required charge inside attain, however struggled to seek out constant help from the opposite finish. As the sport entered its tense ultimate moments, Athapaththu opted to take issues into her personal arms. Bowling the final over, the Sri Lankan captain struck decisively — taking three wickets and effecting a run-out. Her dismissal of Sultana proved the turning level, as Bangladesh crumbled below strain to fall seven runs in need of the goal.
Bangladesh had been left to rue their missed alternatives — dropped catches, misfields, and poor working between the wickets all contributing to their downfall. Regardless of having the equation below management for many of the innings, they failed to carry their nerve when it mattered most.
Sri Lanka, in the meantime, stored their faint semi-final hopes alive, although the trail forward stays tough. Athapaththu’s facet should now beat Pakistan of their ultimate league sport and depend on different outcomes. For Sri Lanka to sneak into the highest 4, India should lose each remaining fixtures whereas England have to defeat New Zealand. Ought to Sri Lanka end stage on six factors with New Zealand, they’ll want a superior web run charge — which means solely a convincing victory towards Pakistan will do.
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