Women's World Cup: Sri Lanka Keep Semi-Final Hopes Alive, Bangladesh Eliminated

ICC Women's World Cup 2025: Bangladesh's collapse of epic proportions saw them losing five wickets in 7 deliveries.

(Photo: X)

In yet another thrilling contest which involved two teams who have been at loggerheads in the recent years and have consistently produced close finishes, be in men's or in women's cricket, Sri Lanka scripted their third consecutive women’s ODI triumph over Bangladesh at the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Here at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, Chamari Athapaththu’s team secured their second win of the competition by 7 runs, as a display of Harakiri of epic proportions saw Bangladesh losing five wickets in seven deliveries.

Chasing a target of 203 runs, Bangladesh had a disastrous start when Rubya Haider Jhilik, who was coming into this match on the back of a 44 against Australia, was sent packing in the second over as well. Her opening partner, Fargana Hoque Pinky could not contribute any more than 7 runs to the team’s cause.

Disaster struck when Sobhana Mostary, Bangladesh’s most in-form batter in this competition, was dismissed for a paltry 8. At 44/3 in the sixteenth over, Bangladesh were staring at another defeat, until Sharmin Akhter and skipper Nigar Sultana Joty pulled off what could have been a marvellous rescue act.

The former was retired hurt on 64, whilst the latter scored 77. Togeher, the pair built an unbeaten 82-run stand. Joty, who has not been spared of criticism for her lack of form in this World Cup, paced her innings masterfully and accelerated during the death overs. Yet, she could not take her side over the line as Bangladesh lost five wickets in the last eight deliveries.

With this win, Sri Lanka have kept their semi-final hopes alive, and have now overtaken Bangladesh in the points table. They are placed sixth with four points from six games, whilst Bangladesh are languishing at the seventh position, with two points from six fixtures.

Another Collapse For Sri Lanka

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka stuck to the patters have been sincerely adhered to in this competition, wherein a decent platform laid out by the top order batters were undone by those succeeding them in the batting order. They went from 82/1 against India to 211 all out, 95/1 against England to 164 all out, 63/3 against South Africa to 105/7.

300 was not to be, and eventually, Sri Lanka could barely manage to get to 200 runs. Athapaththu’s wicket was the cork in the bottle, and with the captain’s departure in the thirteenth over, floodgates were opened.

On the eve of the match, Fahima Khatun told The Quint that leg-spinners were Bangladesh’s strength. Her statement was ably backed by youngsters Rabeya Khan and Shorna Akter — collectively only 38 years of age — who took five wickets between them by conceding 66 runs in 19 overs. Sri Lanka’s final score was 202, at the loss of all of their wickets.