The Lankan team overcomes the Bangladeshi side to preserve their World Cup campaign breathing

Women's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai

The Lankan team 202 (48.4 overs): Hasini Perera 85 (99); Shorna Akter 3-27

The Bangladeshi team 195-9 (50 overs): Nigar Sultana Joty 77 (98); Athapaththu 4-42

Sri Lanka win by seven runs

Sri Lanka took four wickets in the decisive over to complete a heart-stopping triumph over Bangladesh and keep their narrow hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals intact.

Chasing a below-par total of 203 on a good batting surface in Navi Mumbai, Bangladesh required nine runs from the last six bowls.

However, Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu secured three wickets in four balls and de Silva ran out Nahida Akter to secure a thrilling win for the Lankan team.

The win – the Lankan team's maiden of the competition after three losses and two abandoned games against Australia and New Zealand – pushes them level on four match points with India and New Zealand, who face each other on the coming Thursday.

The Bangladeshi team, however, endured a fifth successive setback since winning their first match against the Pakistani team and have been eliminated.

Although the Bangladeshi side got off to the excellent commencement, with Marufa Akter striking with the first delivery of the encounter to remove Vishmi Gunaratne, they were rightfully penalized for a subpar fielding display.

They provided reprieves to Perera, who was dropped multiple times, and Athapaththu.

While Athapaththu failed to capitalise, removed lbw for 46 just one delivery after being put down by Rabeya Khan, Hasini Perera made Bangladesh suffer.

She scored a maiden international 50-run score, making 85 from 99 deliveries and building an significant 74-run stand fifth-wicket with De Silva.

Bangladesh, led by Shorna's 3-27, dragged themselves back to the match, with De Silva's removal in the 34th innings segment causing a Sri Lanka downfall from 174 with four wickets down to 202 complete.

While batting second, the Lankan team's starting bowlers Malki Madara and Udeshika Prabodhani limited Bangladesh to 23 with one wicket down in a uninspiring initial phase and they were later brought down to 44 with three wickets lost.

Sharmin and Joty restored their innings, putting on an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket collaboration before Sharmin left the field injured for a stubborn 64 in the 36th bowling phase.

It was leaning toward the chasing team approaching the final two innings segments, with just 12 additional runs required.

However, Sugandika Dasanayaka sent back Ritu and gave away only three scoring runs before Athapaththu's chaos, with Rabeya, Nahida Akter, skipper Joty and Marufa Akter all removed as the Lankan team seized the victory at the death.

Ultimately, it was a game of nerves. The highly experienced Lankan captain, who ushered away a few of fellow players as she set herself to deliver the last over, maintained her composure. The opposition could not.

There will be many questions about the team's batting effort. They might well have been needing around 270-280 with the Lankan team looking settled on 159 with four wickets down in the 30th bowling phase, but in contrast the required total was much lower.

Yet, the batting side showed little intent from the very beginning, scoring at below 2.5 runs per over during the opening overs, suffering a top-order collapse, and finally making themselves too much to achieve.

But whatever issues there are with their batting approach, if they had taken their catches in the fielding department, that 203-run target would have been significantly lower.

It required them three attempts to break the 72-run stand second-wicket collaboration, with wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana failing to grab a tough chance while keeping to dismiss Hasini Perera on her score of 23 before the captain was spared from a caught and bowled chance chance against Rabeya Khan.

Perera was missed further on 55 and 63, the latter chance flying right to Jhilik at cover field, before finally being dismissed lbw by Shorna as she tried to accelerate the scoring with partners being dismissed around her.

Afterwards in the innings, there was also a failed stumping and a failed run-out, although the second one was a somewhat regrettable, with Rubya Haider substituting with the keeping duties following an fitness issue to Joty.

Sadly for Bangladesh, such fielding woes are far from a isolated incident. They've missed 14 catches from a possible 27 at this World Cup and have the lowest fielding effectiveness (48.1%) of the participating teams.

They are a side who are overall moving in the proper way – they are competing in only their second 50-over World Cup in the end – but inadequate fielding performance is a prominent problem which requires focus.