Skipper Chamari Athapaththu delivered a stunning final over, taking three wickets to secure a dramatic seven-run win for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in their Women’s World Cup clash on Monday.
Defending a modest total of 202, Sri Lanka faced pressure for most of the chase before Athapaththu’s brilliant performance in the final over changed the game. Bangladesh needed nine runs off the last six balls, but the Sri Lankan captain allowed just one run while claiming three wickets to achieve a remarkable victory.
Sri Lanka Edges Bangladesh in Women’s World Cup
Athapaththu trapped Rabeya Khan leg-before on the first ball. Then, a direct hit at the non-striker’s end ran out Nahida Akter. The next delivery saw Nigar Sultana, who had anchored the innings, hit straight to Nilakshika Silva at long-off. On the very next ball, Marufa Akter was trapped in front, sealing Bangladesh’s heartbreak.
Bangladesh, which was cruising at 176 for three, collapsed to 195 for 9 at the end of their 50 overs. Their hopes of reaching the semifinals also took a significant hit as they dropped to seventh place. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka rose to sixth with four points, tied with India and New Zealand but behind on net run rate.
Athapaththu’s Heroics Deny Bangladesh Historic ODI Win Over Sri Lanka
Earlier, Bangladesh appeared to be on track for victory thanks to captain Nigar Sultana’s strong 77 and a solid 82-run partnership with Sharmin Akhter, who scored 64 before retiring hurt due to exhaustion. Their partnership revived Bangladesh from 44 for three and brought them close to their first-ever ODI win over Sri Lanka. But Athapaththu’s late heroics ensured Sri Lanka kept their semifinal hopes alive.
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