Bangladesh Fall Short in Tight Finish as Sri Lanka Triumph by 7 Runs

Bangladesh Fall Short in Tight Finish as Sri Lanka Triumph by 7 Runs

Women's ODI World Cup: Bangladesh Vs Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka pulled off a close 7-run win against Bangladesh in a thrilling Women’s World Cup 2025 match. Chamari Athapaththu led from the front with both bat and ball as Sri Lanka held their nerves to defend a modest total of 202.

 It was a game full of twists and turns in Colombo, where Sri Lanka and Bangladesh went head-to-head in a low-scoring but gripping encounter. Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu’s fine 46 and disciplined bowling, managed to defend 202 runs despite a late scare from Bangladesh’s middle order. Bangladesh looked in control during parts of their chase, but regular wickets in the final overs turned the match in Sri Lanka’s favor. The Sri Lankan bowlers held their nerves in the death overs to seal a memorable 7-run win and strengthen their campaign in the tournament.

Sri Lanka’s Innings:

Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start when Vishmi Gunaratne was dismissed on the very first ball. However, skipper Chamari Athapaththu steadied the innings with her fluent 46 off 43 balls, striking six boundaries and two sixes. She built a useful partnership with Hasini Perera (85 off 99 balls), who was the anchor of the innings and played some fine strokes on both sides of the wicket.

Harshitha Madavi and Kavisha Dilhari added small but handy contributions, while Nilakshi de Silva (37 off 38) provided a late boost with quick runs in the middle order. Sri Lanka lost momentum in the final overs as Bangladesh’s spinners fought back strongly. Shorna Akter was the standout with the ball, taking 4 wickets for just 27 runs, while Rabeya Khan picked up two. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 202 in 48.4 overs, a total that seemed slightly below par but proved enough in the end.

Bangladesh’s Innings:

Chasing 203, Bangladesh had a cautious start and soon lost early wickets, putting pressure on their middle order. Fargana Hoque (35) and Sobhana Mostary (8) struggled to build a big stand as the Sri Lankan bowlers maintained tight lines. Captain Nigar Sultana played a fighting knock of 77 off 98 balls and looked set to take her team home. She found brief support from Shorna Akter (19) and Ritu Moni (7), but after Nigar’s dismissal in the final over, Bangladesh’s hopes faded.

Chamari Athapaththu turned the game with the ball too, picking up 4 crucial wickets for just 24 runs, breaking Bangladesh’s momentum every time they looked settled. Sugandika Kumari also chipped in with 2 wickets, while the rest of the bowling unit kept things tight to defend the small target. Bangladesh finished at 195 for 9 in their full 50 overs, falling short by just 7 runs.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka Women: 202 all out in 48.4 overs (Hasini Perera 85, Chamari Athapaththu 46; Shorna Akter 4/27, Rabeya Khan 2/39)

Bangladesh Women: 195/9 in 50 overs (Nigar Sultana 77, Fargana Hoque 35; Chamari Athapaththu 4/24, Sugandika Kumari 2/38)