The Lankan team overcomes the Bangladeshi side to preserve their World Cup tournament hopes alive

ICC Women's World Cup, Mumbai

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

Bangladesh 195-9 (50 overs): Nigar Sultana Joty 77 (98); Chamari Athapaththu 4-42

The Lankan side win by seven runs

The Lankan cricket team claimed four wickets in the decisive innings segment to complete a thrilling triumph over Bangladesh and maintain their faint hopes of making it for the World Cup semi-finals intact.

Needing a below-par total of 203 on a batting-friendly pitch in the Mumbai stadium, the Bangladeshi team needed nine additional runs from the last six deliveries.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu claimed three wickets in four bowls and de Silva ran out Nahida to achieve a thrilling victory for the Lankan team.

The triumph – Sri Lanka's first of the tournament after three losses and two washed-out matches against Australia and the Kiwi side – pushes them tied on four match points with the Indian team and New Zealand, who confront each other on the coming Thursday.

The Bangladeshi team, however, endured a fifth consecutive setback since securing victory in their initial game against Pakistan and have been removed from contention.

Although the Bangladeshi side got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa taking a wicket with the opening bowl of the game to send back Vishmi Gunaratne, they were appropriately punished for a subpar fielding performance.

They offered second chances to Perera, who was missed multiple times, and Athapaththu.

While the Sri Lankan skipper failed to capitalise, removed lbw for 46 one ball after being missed by Rabeya Khan, Perera forced the opposition suffer.

She achieved a first international half-century, accumulating 85 from 99 balls and building an important 74-run stand fifth-wicket collaboration with Nilakshi de Silva.

Bangladesh, spearheaded by Shorna's impressive bowling figures, dragged themselves back in the contest, with De Silva's removal in the 34th bowling segment initiating a Sri Lanka batting collapse from 174 for four to 202 all out.

During their chase, the Lankan team's starting bowlers Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani contained the opposition to 23 with one wicket down in a lacklustre opening overs and they were subsequently brought down to 44 for three.

Sharmin Akter and Joty restored their innings, putting on 82 for the fourth wicket collaboration before the batter retired hurt for a stubborn 64 in the 36th over.

It was leaning toward the chasing team heading into the remaining two bowling phases, with only 12 more runs needed.

Nevertheless, Dasanayaka sent back Ritu and conceded only three runs before Athapaththu's decisive intervention, with Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, captain Joty and Marufa Akter all dismissed as the Lankan team grabbed the victory at the final moment.

Ultimately, it was a game of composure. The seasoned Athapaththu, who directed away a few of fellow players as she prepared to bowl the decisive over, maintained her composure. Bangladesh could not.

There will be many inquiries about the team's batting display. They could easily have been chasing 270 or 280 with the Lankan team appearing comfortable on 159 for four in the 30th innings segment, but instead the required total was considerably smaller.

Yet, Bangladesh lacked intent from the very beginning, scoring at less than 2.5 runs each over during the initial phase, suffering a early batting collapse, and ultimately making themselves overwhelming to achieve.

But whatever difficulties there are with their batting, if they had accepted their opportunities in the fielding area, that 203 total target would have been significantly smaller.

It needed them three efforts to end the 72-run stand second-wicket collaboration, with keeper Nigar Sultana failing to take a tough chance as wicketkeeper to dismiss Hasini Perera on 23 before the captain got a reprieve from a caught and bowled opportunity against Rabeya.

Perera was missed again on 55 runs and 63, the latter chance going directly to Jhilik at cover position, before finally being given out leg before wicket by Shorna Akter as she attempted to accelerate the scoring with teammates falling around her.

Later in the innings, there was furthermore a stumping chance missed and a missed run-out, although the run-out chance was a little unlucky, with Jhilik substituting with the gloves after an injury to the regular keeper.

Sadly for Bangladesh, such fielding issues are far from a single occurrence. They've missed 14 chances from a potential 27 opportunities at this tournament and boast the lowest catch efficiency (48.1 percent) of the eight teams.

They are a side who are typically heading in the proper way – they are competing in only their second 50-over World Cup in the end – but poor fielding standards is a glaring issue which needs attention.