Shorna and Rabeya Shine as Bangladesh Restrict Sri Lanka to 202

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 202 in their must-win match with Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai. The match was significant to both sides, with the unsuccessful one missing the semi-final action.

Hasini Perera made her maiden international fifty in her 59th game, coming up with a good score of 85 out of 99 balls. Chamari Athapaththu (46) and Nilakshika Silva (37) also managed decent scores.

Both Hasini and Chamari reached significant career milestones in their respective careers as Chamari crossed 4,000 ODI runs in total and Hasini hit the 1000 mark.

Shorna Akter once again delivered for Bangladesh. Introduced into the attack midway through the innings, she followed up with 3 wickets off 27, with Hasini and Nilakshika being removed. Rabeya Khan was also bowled well with 2 for 39, and other bowlers were also helpful. Ritu Mony was the only one who did not take a wicket.

Bangladesh could be more effective against Sri Lanka if they don’t drop chances. Nigar Sultana dropped Hasini at 23 behind the stumps, and Athapaththu dropped, too, at 46. 

Another opportunity was lost by Nahida Akter when Hasini was on 55. They missed a couple of run-outs and a stumping opportunity as well, yet Bangladesh had balanced it out with DRS reviews.

Marufa Akter struck early by getting Vishmi Gunaratne LBW on the very first ball of the innings. Though the umpire did not rule it out, a reviewed decision against him was overturned by a confident review. 

But Athapaththu and Hasini somehow stabilized the innings with a 72-run partnership.

Athapaththu scored 46 off 43 balls, consisting of six boundaries and two sixes. She played her shots at will up until she got lbw by a sharp ball of Rabeya Khan. After she was dismissed, Sri Lanka started to lose more wickets. 

Sri Lanka all of a sudden lost from 72/1 to 100/4.  The last pair, Prabodani and Malki Madara, added only 18 runs in 73 balls. The last 103 deliveries from Sri Lanka’s innings yielded only 28 runs, and six wickets were lost to end the innings at 202 with eight balls remaining.

The bowlers of Bangladesh, through the efforts of Shorna and Rabeya, did not allow Sri Lanka to take charge.