Harshitha Samarawickrama’s patient knock helped Sri Lanka overcome a valiant effort from Bangladesh bowlers and secure her side a spot in the women’s Asia Cup semifinals with a four-wicket win on Sunday.
Sri Lanka are now through to the semi-final stage of the Asia Cup, having won all their contests in the group stage.On the other hand, all is not lost for Bangladesh, who will go up against the United Arab Emirates next. Sri Lanka eventually took the win, with four wickets and four balls in hand. A win in that encounter can help the side advance to the knock-out stage.
Bangladesh crossed the three-figure mark but their scoring rate failed to pick up as Sri Lanka’s spinners delivered with discipline in the death overs, with 12 runs coming off between overs 17-19, before Fahima Khatun unleashed some attacking strokes in the final over. Bangladesh could score only 114/8 in 20 overs. The game hung in balance, as Sri Lanka needed 33 off the last four overs, when Marufa returned to clean up Nilakshika (18) for her third scalp and tilt the scales in favour of Bangladesh yet again. However, Harshitha (48* in 37 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) persevered through Marufa’s final over, and took on Ritu Moni, unleashing a four and a six to bring Sri Lanka right into the contest in the 18th over. Plundering 11 off the 19th over, with a six off the final ball, Harshitha made the task easier for Sri Lanka.
