Harshitha Samarawickrama’s steady innings propelled Sri Lanka to a four-wicket victory against Bangladesh, ensuring their place in the women’s Asia Cup semifinals on Sunday.
Bangladesh Sets a Target of 114 Runs
Opting to bat first in Dubai, Bangladesh started strong with Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter scoring at a rate of six runs per over until the fifth over, when Ferdous was dismissed by Sugandika Kumari for 14 runs.
Sri Lanka’s Chamudi Praboda further strengthened their position by taking out Dilara, who scored 26 runs off 26 balls, including four boundaries, in the seventh over.
The middle overs saw a shift in momentum as Kavisha Dilhari dismissed Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty for just 4 runs, according to ICC reports.
Sobhana Mostary provided some resistance, scoring 34 runs off 41 balls with four boundaries, before being stumped off Praboda’s bowling. Praboda concluded her impressive spell with figures of 3 wickets for 21 runs.
Despite crossing the 100-run mark, Bangladesh struggled to accelerate their scoring rate, managing only 12 runs in the final three overs. They finished their innings at 114 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.
Sri Lanka’s Challenging Chase
In pursuit of 115 runs, Sri Lanka faced early setbacks as Marufa Akter dismissed Chamari Athapaththu for just 1 run.
Marufa continued to trouble the Sri Lankan batting lineup, claiming the wicket of Imesha Dulani (12) in her next over.
With Sultana Khatun taking out Sanjana Kavindi (9), Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position, needing a recovery as the required run rate climbed above six during the middle overs. The pressure intensified when Vishmi Gunaratne fell to Ritu Moni, and Kavisha Dilhari was run out, leaving Sri Lanka at 82 runs for 6 wickets in 16.2 overs.
Harshitha’s Crucial Partnership
Samarawickrama displayed remarkable determination, partnering with Nilakshika Silva to navigate through the challenging middle overs and keep Sri Lanka’s hopes alive.
As the match reached a critical juncture, Sri Lanka needed 33 runs from the last four overs. Marufa returned to claim Nilakshika’s wicket (18), swinging the momentum back towards Bangladesh.
Nevertheless, Harshitha (48 not out off 37 balls, featuring four boundaries and two sixes) held her ground, successfully facing Marufa’s final over and attacking Ritu Moni with a four and a six, bringing Sri Lanka back into contention in the 18th over.
In the 19th over, she scored 11 runs, including a six off the last ball, simplifying the chase for Sri Lanka. Ultimately, they secured victory with four wickets remaining and four balls to spare.
Advancing to the Semifinals
With this win, Sri Lanka has advanced to the semifinals of the Asia Cup, having triumphed in all their group stage matches. Meanwhile, Bangladesh still has a chance to progress, as they prepare to face the United Arab Emirates next, where a victory could see them through to the knockout stage.