Sri Lanka held their nerve in a nail-biting ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 clash to knock Bangladesh out of the tournament in Navi Mumbai on Monday. 

Defending 203, Bangladesh needed eight runs off the final over but Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu rose to the occasion in stunning fashion to restrict the opposition to 195/9. 

Sri Lanka took four wickets in the first four balls of the over with Athapaththu claiming three of them to seal a dramatic win.

Nigar Sultana Joty (77) top-scored for Bangladesh with valuable support from Sharmin Akter (64*), but their efforts weren’t enough as the team faltered under pressure at the death.

Athapaththu (4/42) emerged as Sri Lanka’s standout performer with the ball with her heroics in the final over sealing the win and making her the highest wicket-taker of the match. 

Sugandika Kumari (2/29) and Udeshika Prabodhani (1/29) also provided crucial support.

The result keeps Sri Lanka’s semi-final hopes alive while Bangladesh’s campaign comes to an end following their fifth defeat of the tournament.

Bangladesh looked well on course to win at one stage. After a poor start that saw Rubya Haider fall for a duck and when they were left reeling at 44/3, the chase was revived by a superb 82-run partnership between Sharmin Akhter and skipper Nigar Sultana Joty.

Sharmin and Joty kept the scoreboard ticking to put Bangladesh in control. At 176/4, they needed only 27 runs from the final five overs and appeared to be cruising. But Sri Lanka had other plans and their bowlers held their nerve brilliantly with just 12 needed of the final two overs.

Athapaththu led from the front with eight runs to defend in the final over, conceding just a single run while claiming the crucial wicket of Joty among her three scalps. Bangladesh were left heartbroken, falling agonisingly short of what once seemed a certain victory.

In the first innings, Bangladesh’s bowlers delivered a collective effort to bowl out Sri Lanka for 202. Sri Lanka had cruised to 174/4 after a solid start from the top order but regular wickets in the death overs meant they just managed to cross the 200-run mark.

Hasini Perera (85) top-scored for the hosts while Chamari Athapaththu (46) and Nilakshika Silva (37) also contributed valuable runs. Perera, the last of the trio to fall, found little support at the other end as Bangladesh continued to strike at regular intervals.

Shorna Akter (3/27) was the standout performer with the ball well supported by Rabeya Khatun (2/39) while Marufa Akter, Nishita Akter and Nahida Akter chipped in with a wicket each.

Silva and Hasini Perera had revived the innings with a crucial 74-run partnership, capitalising on a few dropped chances after Sri Lanka were struggling at 100/4 before the 20th over.

However, momentum swung firmly back in Bangladesh’s favour as their spinners tightened the screws on Sri Lanka. Silva’s dismissal in the 32nd over triggered a collapse and Perera’s dismissal - who struck 13 fours and a six in her innings - soon after deepened the slump.

Shorna Akter ripped through the middle order with three key strikes as Sri Lanka managed only 27 runs while losing four wickets between overs 31 and 40. From there, it was only a matter of time before Bangladesh cleaned up the tail. Though Udeshika Prabodhani and Malki Madara held on until the penultimate over, the lack of runs made their resistance in vain.

After the dismissal of Chamari Athapaththu, Bangladesh tightened their grip by removing Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kaveesha Dilhari in quick time.

Samarawickrama was the first to go, as she was run out and Dilhari’s dismissal came in unusual fashion before the end of the 20th over. The ball took an inside edge and it ricocheted off wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana Joty before clipping the bails with Dilhari’s back foot in the air during the moment of impact.

Earlier on, Bangladesh got off to a perfect start with a wicket coming off the very first ball of the innings as Marufa Akter trapped Gunaratne LBW. The batter attempted to play across the line and although given not out initially, Bangladesh reviewed successfully after ball tracking showed all three reds.

Athapaththu then combined with Hasini Perera to steady the innings, adding 72 runs for the second wicket. The Sri Lankan captain looked in fine touch, striking six boundaries and two sixes, before Rabeya Khatun broke the stand. Athapaththu was struck on the pad while attempting to defend and the umpire had no hesitation in raising the finger, leaving Sri Lanka two down.

Sri Lanka will next be in action on October 24 when they take on Pakistan while Bangladesh take on India on October 26 in their final group game.

(This story has been updated with inputs from the ICC)