On paper, it’s a clash between the sixth and seventh placed teams. But ahead of its group league fixture against Sri Lanka on Monday, Bangladesh fast bowler Fahima Khatun appeared confident about her team’s chances of making it to the semifinals of the Women’s ODI World Cup. But then, it’s easier said than done.
Sri Lanka Women (SL-W) will face Bangladesh Women (BAN-W) in Match No. 21 of the Women’s World Cup 2025 at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai, on Monday, October 20.England’s tight win over India in Indore has now turned the semifinal race into a five-way battle for the final spot.
SL vs BAN : Previous Performances
Sri Lanka Women are currently seventh on the points table, having lost three matches and seen two games end with no result. With no wins so far, they will be looking to open their account and remain in contention for the later stages of the tournament.
Given their net run rate, Sri Lanka’s chances are still bleak and it is quite incredible they are still in contention having not won a single game so far, partly thanks to the weather at home in Colombo. However, a statement win over Bangladesh will boost their confidence ahead of their final league fixture back at home against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, was robbed of the home advantage as two of its home games in Colombo were abandoned due to rain. Some insipid performances added to its woes as the team could never rise to the occasion, and now, even though, mathematically it can still qualify for the last-four stage, the reality speaks otherwise.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Women sit just above sixth in the table, with one win from five matches. They too will aim to secure a victory, which would provide a much-needed boost and improve their standing in the points table.For Bangladesh, their chances are slightly better than Sri Lanka’s at the moment.
It’s quite a memorable campaign for them having kickstarted it with a win over Pakistan. They also caused a flutter against England and South Africa, almost pulling off two shockers. That hammering at the hands of Australia in their last game shouldn’t undo all the confidence they gained up until then.
Despite showing resilience, Bangladesh could register a solitary win, and now, to keep its hopes alive, it needs to win the remaining two matches – against Sri Lanka and India – and then hope for England to beat New Zealand and India.
Bangladesh will also be up against history in this fixture having never beaten Sri Lanka in an ODI. If they do manage to tick that box, it could set up a very intriguing final league stage fixture for them against hosts India with the winner potentially going through. While tomorrow’s loser is certain to go out, Sri Lanka in particular will be pleased at least with the prospect of playing out a full game with the skies in Mumbai expected to stay clear.
SL vs BAN : Head to Head
| Matches Played | 03 |
| SL W Won | 02 |
| BAN W Won | 00 |
| No Result | 01 |
| First-Ever Fixture | February 19, 2017 (SL-W Won) |
| Most-Recent Fixture | May 04, 2023 (SL-W Won) |
SL vs BAN : Pitch and Weather Report
The Dr DY Patil Sports Academy pitch typically offers good bounce and consistent pace, allowing batters to play their shots comfortably. The surface is generally flat, making it ideal for high-scoring contests, particularly in limited-overs cricket. Fast bowlers can extract some movement early on, while spinners tend to come into play during the middle and later stages as the pitch dries slightly, offering extra grip and turn.
This will be the first-ever ODI at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The stadium has hosted 14 Vijay Hazare (List A) games in the last three years. The average first-innings score has been 252 with teams chasing winning nine games. Dew is expected to play a role at the ground.
For the first time, there will be an ODI match played at this venue. The last time this stadium hosted an international fixture, India Women piled on the runs in a T20I in December 2024 against West Indies. The forecast is clear for the entire day, with temperatures set to hit a high of 36 degrees. On the eve of the match, Bangladesh’s Khatun said she expects it to be a “sporting wicket with batters and bowlers expected to benefit from it”. Sri Lanka coach Ratnayake echoed her views.
SL vs BAN : Big Picture : Sri Lanka move from wet Colombo to dry Navi Mumbai
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka head into their clash with two points each, yet their campaigns couldn’t have been more different. For Sri Lanka, those two points came courtesy washed-out games in Colombo. They have now moved to hot and humid Navi Mumbai, where they will begin their final leg with an outside chance to make the top four.
Bangladesh had started brightly with a win over Pakistan, but have struggled since. They have run top sides close, but have fallen short at crucial junctures. Though Bangladesh are yet to beat Sri Lanka in ODIs, they will fancy their chances, given their spin attack has troubled established batting line-ups. The loser of Monday’s fixture will be knocked out of contention for the semi-finals.
The two sides have met each other four times in ODIs, with Sri Lanka winning two and the other two being washed out. It will be a long shot for Bangladesh to make the semi-finals, but they can get there if they win their next two games and hope other results go their way. Even a top-five finish will be significant for Bangladesh, their senior spinner Fahima Khatun said on the eve of the match, in what is only their second appearance at an ODI World Cup.
While Bangladesh’s batting remains a concern, their bowling, led by spinners, has been their strength. But it was a different story against Australia, who razed down their target of 199 with ten wickets to spare.
Sri Lanka have had similar issues. While their batters have often made promising starts, they’ve lost wickets in clusters. But the washed-out match against New Zealand, where they posted 258 before rain had the final say, showed a glimpse of what they can do. In this match, it will come down to how well they operate against Bangladesh’s spinners, while Bangladesh will want to show some of their batting capabilities in their quest for a first win against Sri Lanka in ODIs.
SL vs BAN : In the spotlight: Harshitha Samarawickrama
Harshitha Samarawickrama has quickly risen through the ranks for Sri Lanka to become one of their batting mainstays. Since her 53 against India in the tri-series earlier this year, she has not scored a half-century in six innings though she’s got starts. Against England, she looked well set in the chase of 254 with a 58-run stand with Hasini Perera but lost her wicket to Sophie Ecclestone, which triggered a Sri Lanka collapse. Sri Lanka will be expecting more runs from their No. 4 as they look to finish their campaign on a high.
SL vs BAN : Team News for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Sri Lanka :
It will be interesting to see if Sri Lanka bring back veteran Udeshika Prabodhani for this contest.Vishmi Gunaratne was on 12 when she was stretchered off the field against South Africa, after being struck by the ball on her left knee while completing a run. She, however, returned to bat and finished with 34 off 33 balls. Sri Lanka head coach Rumesh Ratnayake said she was “okay for selection” against Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka Probable XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera
Bangladesh :
Fast bowler Marufa Akter, who was rested for Bangladesh’s previous match against Australia, is expected to return to the side. “Marufa is better now, she has been training hard the last couple of days and I think we will have her fully fit for the next match,” Khatun said at her press conference.:Marufa Akter could make an immediate return to the playing XI after missing the Australia clash.
Bangladesh Probable XI: Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider(w), Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana(c), Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Nishita Akter Nishi, Marufa Akter
SL vs BAN : Probable Top Performers
Probable Best Batter : Sobhana Mostary
Sobhana Mostary has been the most impressive Bangladesh batter in the tournament so far. She has two fifties, both coming against top oppositions in Australia and England. In a tournament where most other Bangladesh batters have struggled, the 23-year-old has stood out at No.5. She is adept at rotating the strike and finding the gaps. Against Australia, she was circumspect against Alana King but took on Annabel Sutherland and Darcie Brown, her 66 not out taking Bangladesh to a respectable 198.
The right-handed batter Sobhana Mostary could be a key player in this clash. She has scored 161 runs in five innings, contributing the bulk of her team’s runs in the tournament so far. Mostary has the ability to play long innings and anchor the game, potentially taking her team forward when it matters most.
Probable Best Bowler: Inoka Ranaweera
The left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera could be the key bowler in this clash. She has claimed seven wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 14.71. Her full 10-over spells will be crucial and have the potential to turn the game single-handedly in Sri Lanka’s favour.
SL vs BAN : Match Prediction
Both these two teams may be woefully out of form but unbelievable, each still stand a chance of reaching the semi-finals. England’s narrow win over India has opened the door for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with the winner here drawing level on points with Harmanpreet Kaur’s side. But that would involve one of the two ending a long winless run.
Bangladesh have lost their last four games, whilst Sri Lanka are yet to win a single match in the tournament. In a pressure fixture such as this, the best players need to stand up and be counted. Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu is the one superstar name set to be on show and if ever there was a stage to show her class, this is it. Back Athapaththu to top score for Sri Lanka. So we are backing Sri Lanka to win.
Also Read: Women’s ODI World Cup 2025: A Plot Twist No One Saw Coming