Sri Lanka 114 for 3 (Gunaratne 51, Samarawickrama 33, Nahida 3-12) beat Bangladesh 111 for 8 (Nigar 48*, Shorna 25, Priyadharshani 2-17, Prabodhani 2-20) by seven wickets
A wonderful all-round present from Sri Lanka within the subject, backed up by Vishmi Gunaratne’s regular half-century, helped Sri Lanka begin their Girls’s Asia Cup 2024 in type as they beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Dambulla.
After Bangladesh elected to bat, all the pieces that might have gone improper for them did as they misplaced 4 wickets contained in the powerplay. It wanted captain Nigar Sultana enjoying an anchor function and a few lower-order hitting from Shorna Akter, who smashed 25 off 14 balls, to take Bangladesh to 111 for 8.
Within the chase, Sri Lanka misplaced their captain Chamari Athapaththu early, however as they’ve proven repeatedly this 12 months, they’re not a one-woman group. Gunaratne, who’s having a stellar 2024, continued her wonderful type and smashed her third T20I half-century, all three coming this 12 months. She acquired good help from Harshitha Samarawickrama as Sri Lanka acquired over the road with 17 balls to spare. That meant Bangladesh’s winless run in T20Is in 2024 prolonged to 9.
Bangladesh’s powerplay to overlook
It began on a vibrant notice for Bangladesh with Dilara Akter lofting Udeshika Prabodhani for a straight 4 first ball. However, all of it went downhill from there. Two balls later Prabodhani went fuller, getting the ball to tail again and leaving Dilara’s stumps in a multitude. The very subsequent ball she had Rubya Haider chipping a drive meekly to the correct of cover-point the place Nilakshika Silva took a superb catch operating again and diving sideways.
Nigar Sultana top-scored for Bangladesh with 48 off 59 balls•ACC
Ishma Tanjim’s debut lasted all of three balls when she gave a easy catch to backward level off Inoshi Priyadharshani. In simply 9 balls, Bangladesh had slipped to eight for 3 which quickly turned 17 for 4 within the sixth over courtesy of a shocking return catch from Priyadharshani. Ritu Moni jumped down the observe and smashed a size ball exhausting to Priyadharshani’s proper. However she stretched her proper hand to seize the ball and stored maintain of it even when her elbow hit the turf. Moni was left flabbergasted as Bangladesh’s powerplay ended on 18 for 4.
Nigar agency, however Sri Lanka preserve chipping away
The accountability to take Bangladesh ahead was on Nigar’s shoulders. She began sluggish, her first 18 balls yielded solely six runs. Bangladesh reached 46 for 4 after ten overs and the stress caused Shorifa Khatun’s downfall. Athapaththu, sensing her willingness to interrupt the shackles, stored a size ball sluggish on off stump. Shorifa took the bait eyeing an across-the-line hack solely to see her off stump disturbed.
Rabeya Khan acquired off the mark with a 4 however was quickly despatched again trapped plumb in entrance of the stumps by Sugandika Kumari for 10. At 67 for six after 15, Bangladesh’s possibilities of reaching 100 regarded bleak.
Shorna shores up Bangladesh
Bangladesh lastly acquired the momentum they so dearly required, through 17-year-old Shorna’s blade. She first thrashed Priyadharshani by means of midwicket earlier than slog-sweeping Athapaththu for 4 extra. Shorna then struck Kavisha Dilhari for 3 back-to-back fours taking Bangladesh near 100. Her try at a fourth boundary, nevertheless, failed with Silva taking one other good catch, this time at long-on.
Nigar stored issues going on the different finish. Bangladesh reached 100 within the nineteenth over earlier than Nigar struck two fours off Prabodhani within the twentieth. Bangladesh added 44 runs within the final 5 overs, however 111 in opposition to an in-form Sri Lanka unit was by no means going to be sufficient.
Inoshi Priyadharshani got here away with 2 for 17 in her 4 overs•ACC
Gunaratne sparkles in snug Sri Lanka win
Sri Lanka’s over-reliance on Athapaththu has usually price them dearly previously. However Gunaratne stored a peaceful head after her captain fell early. Athapaththu began with a six over deep midwicket however didn’t clear long-on quickly after in opposition to Nahida Akter.
Gunaratne, nevertheless, stored Sri Lanka on observe. She acquired going with a 4 over mid-off after which whacked Marufa vast of long-on. Gunaratne collected 5 fours within the three overs after the powerplay as Sri Lanka sped in direction of the goal. The spotlight of her innings was her operating between the wickets. When the boundaries did not come, she tapped and ran.
She acquired good help from Samarawickrama. The duo added 54 off 48 balls for the second wicket and didn’t let Bangladesh into the sport at any stage. Gunaratne introduced up her fifty with a reverse sweep, a shot she performed seven occasions throughout her innings.
By the point she fell for 51 off 48, cleaned up by Nahida, Sri Lanka wanted simply 26 from 37 balls. Samarawickrama then took up the mantle and she or he and Dilhari struck three fours in a Shorna over to convey the goal right down to single digits earlier than Dilhari completed the chase with a 4 over mid-off.
For Bangladesh, Nahida picked up all three wickets to fall, ending with 3 for 12 from her 4 overs.
