Shorna Akter was introduced late in the piece but she bowled an inspired spell and picked up 3 wickets and was aided by Rabeya Khan’s 2-wicket haul as Bangladesh kept Sri Lanka down to 203 in 48.4 overs. Hasini Perera was the star for Sri Lanka with 85 off 99 balls while captain Chamari Athapaththu made 46 off 43 balls and Nilakshi de Silva made 37 off 38 balls. But the others struggled and the Lankans have got a below par score on the board one feels at this stage.
Chamari Athapaththu gives Sri Lanka a rollicking start despite losing Vishmi Gunaratne off the first ball
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Vishmi Gunaratne and captain Chamari Athapaththu came out to bat for Sri Lanka while Marufa Akter had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Marufa struck straightaway off the first ball as she trapped Gunaratne for a golden duck thank to a great usage of DRS.
Marufa from over the wicket bowled a good length delivery pitching outside off-stump and nipped back into the middle stump. Gunaratne hung back to defend with an angled bat facing to midwicket and was beaten on the inside edge. She got hit on the front pad. The umpire said no to the appeal. Bangladesh went upstairs and the ball tracking showed three reds. The decision was changed. Hasini Perera came out to bat next. She got off the mark with a boundary as she stood on top of the bounce and punched it past extra cover for a boundary.
Hasini hit Marufa again for a boundary as she guided it between backward point and deep third man for a boundary. There was a misfield by the fielder. Nishita Akter had ball in hand from the other end. Chamari got off the mark by getting an inside edge past leg stump and to the fine leg fence for a boundary as she got to 4000 ODI runs, the 4th Asian to do so. Marufa continued and bowled a miserly over. Nishi too kept things tight as well.
Chamari broke the shackles as she launched Marufa by slicing her over backward point for the maximum for the first of the day. Then she played the pick up shot and whipped it over square leg for a boundary. Nishi continued as Perera played a risky shot and got down on one knee and swept it through vacant fine leg for a boundary.
Nahida Akter came into the attack next. Chamari was on a roll as rocked back and pulled her over square leg for a boundary. Nishi continued as Chamari went forward to the the pitch of the ball and played the on drive to get it past short midwicket for a boundary. Nahida continued as Chamari got down on one knee and played the big sweep shot past short fine leg for a boundary. Chamari hit her again as she rocked back and slapped it through covers for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between the two. She then launched Nahida down the ground over wide long-on for the maximum.
Marufa continued as Hasini flicked it past midwicket for a boundary. At the completion of 10 overs at the conclusion of first powerplay, Sri Lanka were decently placed at 64/1.
Bangladesh hit back with quick wickets to peg Sri Lanka back
Nahida continued after the powerplay and bowled a decent over. Nishi continued as Hasini was dropped by the keeper as a tough chance went down. Rabeya Khan was introduced into the attack. Chamari was dropped again by Rabeya off her own bowling as she injured herself. Rabeya then dismissed Chamari after getting treatment for 46 off 43 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes to her name.
Rabeya bowled it full on the middle stump spinning back into the batter. Chamari got forward to block and played outside its line and was beaten on the inside edge getting a thud on the pad. Massive appeal was given out. Chamari reviewed and burnt the review as ball tracking showed three reds. Harshitha Samarawickrama came out to bat next. She got off the mark straightaway.
Nishi continued as Hasini bent her back and opened the bat face to drive it between backward point and cover point for a boundary. Perera then punished Nishi’s poor ball and slog swept it to vacant fine leg for a boundary. Rabeya continued and delivered a tight over. Nishi continued and kept things tight. Rabeya continued as Harshitha was run out while coming for the second run as one run was completed. She was dismissed for 4 off 11 balls. Kavisha Dilhari came out to bat next.
Nahida continued as Dilhari got off the mark by glancing it fine past short fine leg for a boundary. Rabeya continued as Perera lunged forward and smashed it past diving extra cover for a boundary. Hasini hit Rabeya again by sweeping it and got the top edge over the keeper for a boundary as the 100 came up for Sri Lanka in 19 overs. Nahida then got rid of Dilhari through a freakish stumping as she fell for 4 off 6 balls with a boundary to her name.
Nahida from around the wicket bowled full at off-stump too close to cut. The ball came back with the arm and Dilhari rocked back to play it late behind square of the off-side. She got an inside edge bouncing in front of the keeper. The ball went very close to the off-stump and deflected off Sultana’s left pad and rolled back to hit the off-stump. The stumping check showed the foot was in the air when bails were dislodged, OUT was the call. Nilakshi de Silva came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Sri Lanka were 101/4 in 20 overs. Nilakshi took on Rabeya and deposited her over wide long-on for the maximum. Ritu Moni came to the attack next. Nilakshi took her on and deposited her over long-on for the maximum. Hasini then hit Rabeya for the maximum down the ground over long-off for the maximum and got to her fifty in 65 balls. Moni continued as Perera flicked it between mid-on and midwicket for a boundary. Perera rocked back and pulled the short ball flat and hard past deep midwicket for a boundary.
Nishita Akter came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over as Sri Lanka at the halfway stage of the chase were 132/4 with the match in the balance at this stage.
Hasini Perera fights for Sri Lanka, but Bangladesh chip away at wickets to put them on the back foot
Shorna Akter came onto bowl next. Hasini Perera played later and opened her bat face and guided it past short third man to her right for a boundary. Perera was dropped next ball as Rubya Haider at covers dropped a sitter. Moni continued and bowled a decent over. Shorna continued and bowled a decent over.
Hasini hit Marufa for a boundary by flicking her between short fine leg and deep backward square leg for a boundary. The 150 was up for Sri Lanka win 28.1 overs as the 50-run stand came up between the two players. Sri Lanka were 155/4 in 29 overs when drinks was taken. Shorna continued after the break and bowled a good over as Sri Lanka were 159/4 in 30 overs.
Moni continued as Nilakshi got forward and played late with an open bat face. She guided it using the pace of the bowler and got it between backward point and short third man for a boundary. Shorna continued as Hasini cut the short and wide ball through point region for a boundary. Shorna broke the stand dismissing Nilakshi for 37 off 38 balls with one four and 2 sixes to her name.
Shorna from over the wicket bowled a leg break that was full and wide outside off-stump that spun away. Nilakshi came down the track for a wild swing across the line and wasn’t to the pitch of the ball and swung hard against the spin. She lost her shape and got a top edge and got it to short third fielder. Anushka Sanjeewani came out to bat next. Nishi continued and bowled a miserly over.
Shorna got another wicket as Sanjeewani was dismissed for 2 off 7 balls. Shorna bowled fuller length slower through the air on the middle leg stump. She nicely flighted it as well. Good drift on the ball and which made the batter to play it on the leg side. Sanjeewani was early in closing the bat face on the flick and lost her shape completely and got a leading edge back to the bowler. Sugandika Kumari came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Nishi then got rid of Kumari for 1 off 4 balls thanks to successful usage of DRS. Nishi bowled full on the middle stumps, Kumari was rooted to her crease and got down on one knee to sweep. The ball was slightly full to execute the stroke and missed on the inside edge with the ball hitting the pad. The umpire said no to the appeal. DRS was taken and it showed three reds on ball tracking. The decision was reversed to OUT. Udeshika Prabodhani came out to bat next.
Shorna then got the big fish as she dismissed Perera for 85 off 99 balls with 13 fours and a maximum to her name. Shorna tossed it up very full on the off and middle stump dipping in front of the batter. Perera went for the reverse sweep and missed it as the ball hit the pads. The ball was a leg break as well. The umpire gave it OUT. The review was taken by the batter in hope and ball tracking confirmed three reds. The review was burnt. Malki Madara came out to bat next.
Rabeya returned to the attack and bowled a decent over. Shorna continued and bowled a maiden over. Nahida came back and bowled another maiden over. Shorna bowled another maiden over as Sri Lanka crawled to 186/8 in 40 overs.
Bangladesh kept it tight and bowled Sri Lanka out for 202 in 48.4 overs
Nahida bowled another miserly over. Shorna continued as Madara got a welcome boundary to her name by rocking back and cutting it past backward point for a boundary. Moni returned and bowled a quiet over. Shorna bowled another maiden over and finished her excellent spell. Moni continued and bowled another miserly over as Sri Lanka were now 193/8 in 45 overs.
Rabeya returned and bowled another maiden over. Sobhana Mostary came into the attack for the first time today. Prabodhani survived a missed stumping. Both batters were down and the keeper hurt herself as Nigar Sultana went off the field. The substitute keeper then missed a run out chance as Sri Lanka survived a scare.
Rabeya continued as Prabodhani rocked back and slapped it between cover and extra cover for a boundary as the 200 came up for Sri Lanka in 47.3 overs. Rabeya then got rid of Prabodhani for 8 off 37 balls with a boundary to her name. Rabeya tossed it up full at the middle stump. The batter tried to slog sweep it but missed the line of the ball. The ball crashed onto her stumps. The flight of the ball did it here. Inoka Ranaweera came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Marufa continued as we had a run out to end the innings as Madara was run out for 9 off 42 balls with a boundary to her name. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 202 in 48.4 overs with Ranaweera remaining unbeaten on 2 off 4 balls. Just 4 extras given by Bangladesh bowlers.
Bangladesh bowlers came back and bowled well with Shorna Akter being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/27 in 10 overs. Rabeya Khan chipped in with 2/39 in 9 overs. Marufa Akter finished with 1/36 in 5.4 overs. Nishita Akter Nishi chipped in with 1/35 in 10 overs. Nahida Akter finished with 1/30 in 7 overs. Ritu Moni finished with 0/33 in 6 overs. Sobhana Mostary finished with 0/1 in 1 over. This meant that Bangladesh will need 203 runs to win off 50 overs.
Who’s Winning, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh have done well to bounce back and keep Sri Lanka down to 202 in 48.4 overs. Yes, Sri Lanka have runs on the board, but Bangladesh will fancy their chances. It is advantage Bangladesh for now but if Sri Lanka gets early wickets, then we could be in for a low scoring thriller. The pitch is decent to bat on. Let’s see how the chase unfolds. Spinners will be key for Sri Lanka one feels.
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