Sri Lanka Women and Bangladesh Women delivered one of the most dramatic finishes yet in Navi Mumbai, where Sri Lanka snatched a seven-run win from the jaws of defeat to stay alive in the Women’s World Cup 2025. For Bangladesh, the loss ended their semifinal dreams in the most agonising fashion.
Although for 48 overs, Bangladesh dominated the match, the final moments of the game saw the team decline. Chasing 203, they held under the calm guidance of Captain Nigar Sultana, who compiled 77 off 98 balls. Supported by solid teamwork between Sharmin Akhter, Shorna Akter, and Bangladesh, they seemed well placed. However, Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu had other plans.
Athapaththu’s figures of 4 for 42 only provide a partial picture. Three of those wickets came in a sensational final over, where Bangladesh lost four wickets in the space of four balls, including a run-out that broke the chance of a hat-trick. The crowd barely had time to react before the game ended due to the sudden collapse.
For most of the chase, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had seemed out of ideas. The pitch offered little turn, and their spinners struggled to make inroads. But when pressure mounted, experience told. Bangladesh, cautious throughout their innings, were punished for their lack of urgency. Their innings, which had once looked steady, turned stagnant. By the end, they could only reflect on an opportunity wasted.
Earlier in the day, it was Sri Lanka’s batting that had floundered after a promising start. The highlight of a turbulent innings was Hasini Perera’s long-awaited maiden international fifty, which came in her 143rd match. Her fluent 85 off 99 balls gave Sri Lanka something to defend after a mid-innings collapse nearly derailed them. Perera, named Player of the Match, was one of just three batters to reach double figures, with Athapaththu (46) and Nilakshika Silva (37) providing the rest of the pushback.
Athapaththu and Hasini also reached personal milestones during the innings, crossing 4000 and 1000 career ODI runs, respectively. Their 72-run stand for the second wicket had Sri Lanka looking comfortable at one stage, with Athapaththu striking six boundaries and two sixes in a brisk 46 from 43 balls. Her dismissal, which trapped lbw against the run of play, opened the door for Bangladesh.
What followed was a mix of misfortune and self-destruction. Harshitha Samarawickrama’s needless run-out was followed by a freak dismissal when Kavisha Dilhari was stumped after the ball ricocheted off the wicketkeeper’s pads. The bizarre moment – confirmed by the Smart Replay system – drew ironic cheers from the crowd amid Diwali celebrations around the grounds.
From 72 for 1, Sri Lanka slipped to 100 for 4. Yet Hasini and Nilakshika rebuilt admirably, adding 74 of 75 balls in what turned out to be the most fluent passage of play. Both batters found boundaries regularly, but a lack of strike rotation meant the run rate never quite accelerated. When Nilakshika holed out to Shorna Akter, Sri Lanka’s innings collapsed again, losing three wickets for eight runs.
Shorna was once again Bangladesh’s most effective bowler, finishing with 3 for 27 after being introduced midway through the innings. The remaining wickets were shared around, though Ritu Moni ended wicketless. Despite a disciplined bowling effort, Bangladesh’s fielding left much to be desired, as several missed opportunities and misfields allowed Sri Lanka to post 202.
As Bangladesh approached their target, its over-cautious approach mirrored Sri Lanka’s earlier hesitation. With Athapaththu’s late heroics, the tables were turned, resulting in Bangladesh losing control of its dominant position, managing just two runs off the final nine balls.
The win gives Sri Lanka renewed hope as they remain in contention for the semi-finals.
