Sri Lanka claim low-scoring fixture against Asia Cup champions Bangladesh
- Shashikala Siriwardene uses experience, top scores in the match as Sri Lanka spinners choke Bangladesh
Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 25 runs in a low scoring encounter at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, bowling them out for 72 after they themselves were restricted to just 97 for seven. All the Sri Lanka spinners shared wickets, as they claimed their first win of the tournament and moved to second place in Group A.
In a rare occurrence, wickets fell off the first ball in both innings as seamers from both sides enjoyed the conditions, but it was the Sri Lanka spinners who were more consistent. Bangladesh will now look to win their remaining game against South Africa on 18 November, failing which they will have to once again play the Qualifiers to earn a place at the ICC Women’s World T20 2020 in Australia.
After facing 81 dot balls in their game against England, Bangladesh faced 75 against Sri Lanka in their batting effort. Prabhodani set the tone in Sri Lanka’s defence, taking two wickets in her first over, both LBW. She was forced to leave the field in the fifth over, injuring her finger as she dropped a hard return catch, but the spinners then took over.
Oshadie Ranasinghe got the big wicket of Ayesha Rahman (11, 21b), who hit 39 against England, and then Rumana Ahmed was dismissed, the back of the Bangladesh batting broken at 23 for four in the seventh over. Nigar Sultana (21, 41b, 2x4) tried to stitch together a recovery, but received no support, and she was out in the 16th over, the seventh wicket to fall. Bangladesh hit only three boundaries in their innings, and were bowled out in the 20th over.
In the first innings, at a windy venue that has seen swing bowlers prosper in this tournament, Bangladesh played with four spinners and just one pace bowler, Jahanara Alam. She stood out, taking three economical wickets in a tight opening spell from which Sri Lanka took a while to recover.
Jahanara bowled Yasoda Mendis round her legs for a duck on the first ball of the match, and conceded just 10 off her first three overs as Sri Lanka struggled to just 17 for one in the Powerplay. Sri Lanka chose to play captain Chamari Athapaththu at No. 4 rather than the top of the order, but that didn’t help their batting woes. They struggled to 35 for three in 10 overs, as the Bangladesh spinners made scoring difficult in overcast conditions.
Both Athapaththu (12, 16b, 2x4) and Dilani Manodara (16, 32b, 1x4) laboured unsuccessfully, and it was only when Shashikala Siriwardene and Nilakshi de Silva came together did the innings receive any impetus.
Siriwardene (31, 33b, 2x4, 1x6), who also took two wickets and was Player of the Match, has looked like Sri Lanka’s best batter this tournament. After gauging the conditions early on, she started to hit over the infield into unprotected areas, striking one six in her stay. With de Silva (12, 9b, 1x6), she put on a 31-run partnership, the highest of the match, before both were dismissed in the last over by Jahanara.
With the slow outfield and Bangladesh’s fragile batting, that total proved enough. Sri Lanka will now play the hosts Windies on 16 November.
Scores in brief:
Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 25 runs at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium at Gros Islet, St. Lucia
Sri Lanka: 97-7, 20 overs (Shashikala Siriwardene 31; Jahanara Alam 3-21)
Bangladesh: 72 all out, 20 overs (Nigar Sulatana 20; Chamari Athapaththu 3-17, Udeshika Prabhodani 2-6, Shashikala Siriwardene 2-10)