Women's T20 Asia Cup 2024, Match 04: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets

Vishmi Gunaratne’s impressive half-century guided Sri Lanka to a comfortable 7 wicket victory over Bangladesh in Dambulla. Sri Lanka chased down the modest target of 112 runs with 17 balls remaining, showcasing their batting strength. Despite early setbacks, Sri Lanka maintained control throughout the game and achieved a smooth win.

Bangladesh’s early struggles

Bangladesh faced a tough start, losing four crucial wickets during the powerplay. This early collapse set them back significantly, forcing them to play catch up for the rest of the match. Although they made some progress in the middle overs and had a spirited finish, it wasn’t sufficient to alter the outcome. Sri Lanka, despite losing their captain during the innings, managed to handle the modest target with ease.

What a way to kick off the #WomensAsiaCup2024! 💪🇱🇰 A fantastic 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh! #WomensAsiaCup2024 #SLvBAN #GoLionesses pic.twitter.com/W8cIqRi63n

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 20, 2024

Bangladesh’s performance

Early wickets in Powerplay

Bangladesh began their innings with a boundary from Dilare Akter but quickly fell into trouble. Udeshika Prabodhani and Inoshi Priyadharshini took control with early breakthroughs, dismissing four top order batsmen. The team struggled as they lost key players like Ishma Tanjim and Rubya Haider without scoring, putting them on the back foot early in the match.

Sultana’s fight back in middle overs

Nigar Sultana played aggressively after the powerplay, scoring boundaries and attempting to build a stable innings. Her effort was crucial as Bangladesh sought to recover from the early losses. Chamari Athapaththu’s key wicket of Shorifa Khatun in the 11th over slowed down Bangladesh’s progress and allowed Sri Lanka to regain control of the match.

Sultana and Shorna finish strong in death overs

In the final overs, Sultana and Shorna Akter provided a late surge for Bangladesh. Shorna hit three consecutive boundaries in the 18th over, helping Bangladesh surpass the 100-run mark. Nigar Sultana continued the momentum with boundaries in the last over, but their late efforts were not enough to secure a win.

Sri Lanka’s Performance

Athapaththu falls after a solid start in powerplay

Sri Lanka’s innings started slowly, but Chamari Athapaththu made a significant impact with a six and a boundary, signaling a strong chase. Despite a steady start, Athapaththu was dismissed in the last over of the powerplay, but the damage was already done. Her contribution provided a solid foundation for the chase.

Gunaratne and Samarawickrama drive the chase in middle overs

Sri Lanka’s chase was well-managed by Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama. The pair combined effectively, with Gunaratne scoring a half-century before being dismissed. Their partnership added 54 runs for the second wicket, keeping Sri Lanka on track to chase down the target comfortably. Gunaratne’s aggressive batting, especially against Sultana Khatun, was pivotal in controlling the chase.

Samarawickrama seals the Win in death overs

As Sri Lanka approached victory, Harshitha Samarawickrama took charge in the 17th over, hitting several boundaries and accelerating the chase. Although Bangladesh managed to get her out for 33, the game was already in Sri Lanka’s favor. Dilhari’s boundary in the final over sealed the win for Sri Lanka, capping off a successful chase.

Player of the Match (Vishmi Gunaratne)

“I am enjoying this year. This one makes more special because my family is here. I would like to thank my parents, sister. Enjoyed batting with my captain. Pitch is good for batting and easy to chase down the score. I had to work on my reverse sweep. Moving forward, I want to get this right.”

Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 group B points table:

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	Pts	NRR
Thailand Women	1	1	0	0	0	2	+1.100
Sri Lanka Women	1	1	0	0	0	2	+1.091
Bangladesh Women	1	0	1	0	0	0	-1.091
Malaysia Women	1	0	1	0	0	0	-1.100