Sri Lanka bounced back in style to defeat bangladesh The three-match series was leveled at 1-1 by defeating India by four wickets in the second women’s ODI in Rajshahi. returning captain Chamari Athapaththu After Bangladesh were bowled out for 165 in 45.5 overs, he came up with a brilliant all-round performance to help his team chase down the easy target of 166 runs.
The win marked a strong comeback for the visitors, who missed Athapaththu’s presence in the opening game due to injury. His return not only boosted the morale of the team but also changed the situation strongly in Sri Lanka’s favour.
Chamari Athapaththu shines with the ball as Bangladesh wobbles
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh struggled to build partnerships on a surface that could support the bowlers. Athapaththu made an immediate impact and derailed the hosts’ innings with crucial strikes in the middle overs.
he got out first Sharmin Sultana Through an LBW decision which caused obvious frustration in the batsman. She was out in her next over Shobhana MostriWho was caught at square leg while attempting an aggressive stroke.
Athapaththu’s third wicket came thanks to a quick catch Nilakshika Silvawho stayed at mid-off to get out Ritu Moni. Bangladesh never really recovered from these shocks. captain Nigar Sultana Fought alone and scored 58 runs in 101 balls. However, Bangladesh could only score lower than usual due to lack of support from the rest of the batting lineup.
Sri Lanka’s bowling unit supported Athapaththu well Malki Madara, Nimesh MeepageAnd Inoka Ranaweera Both took two wickets each, while Kavisha Dilhari took one wicket.
Strong partnerships set goals for Sri Lanka
Chasing 166, Sri Lanka got off to a bad start and lost early wickets. However, Athapaththu once again stepped up and played an aggressive inning of 40 runs off just 39 balls with the help of eight fours. Her intent set the stage for the chase, even if it fell to left-arm spinner Nahida Akhtar in the 17th over.
A brief moment on the field added to the intensity of the contest as Nahida bid farewell to Athapaththu, giving him a stern look from the Sri Lankan captain before walking out.
The foundation laid by Athapaththu was strengthened by a vital partnership of 79 runs between the two. Harshita Samarawickrama And Hansima Karunaratne. Samarawickrama led the innings with 50 off 76 balls, while Karunaratne contributed consecutive 40 runs.
Although Nahida continued to impress with the ball, taking four wickets, Sri Lanka maintained control and crossed the finish line with relative ease. With the series now tied at 1-1, both teams will go into the final ODI in Rajshahi on April 25 with everything to play for.
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This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
