Mumbai: Chasing a target of 203 runs, Bangladesh was poised for a significant victory against Sri Lanka in their Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 match at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. With only eight runs needed from the final over and wickets in hand, Bangladesh appeared to have the momentum in their favor. However, a remarkable performance by Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu turned the game.
Athapaththu delivered a sensational final over, leading to a dramatic collapse of the Bangladeshi side. She struck on her very first delivery, dismissing Rabeya Khan. The situation worsened immediately as Nahida Akter was run out on the second ball. Nigar Sultana, who had anchored the innings with a solid contribution of 77 runs, was caught on the third delivery, and Marufa Akter fell for a golden duck on the fourth. In just four balls, Bangladesh lost four wickets, thwarting their chase. Despite needing just eight runs from the final two deliveries, Bangladesh could only manage a single run, resulting in a thrilling seven-run victory for Sri Lanka, who secured two crucial points to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Earlier in the match, Athapaththu also showcased her batting skills, scoring 46 runs off 43 balls while becoming the first Sri Lankan woman cricketer to reach 4,000 runs in international cricket. Hasini Perera also made a significant impact, contributing 85 runs to help Sri Lanka set a total of 202 runs.
The defeat marked Bangladesh as the first team to be eliminated from the ODI World Cup 2025, finishing with only two points from six matches. Conversely, Sri Lanka now has four points from six matches and remains in contention for the semifinals, relying on outcomes from other teams, specifically India and New Zealand.
