Manchester City delivered a deafening statement of intent to celebrate Pep Guardiola's landmark 1,000th match in management as Liverpool were dismissed out of hand at Etihad Stadium. City's 3-0 win carried an ominous warning for Premier League leaders Arsenal
Needing 9 in last over, Bangladesh lose 4 wkts in 4 balls; out of World Cup
Bangladesh continued to set new benchmarks of self-destruction in the ICC Women's World Cup. Needing nine runs from six balls, Bangladesh lost four wickets in four balls against Sri Lanka to throw away another shot at victory in the showpiece event. After the seven-run defeat on Monday, Bangladesh also became the first team to be officially elimated from this World Cup.
Chasing a modest target of 203, the Tigresses appeared to be in control needing just nine runs from the final over with captain Nigar Sultana Joty well set on 77. But in one of the most astonishing ends to a World Cup match in recent memory, Sri Lanka's captain Chamari Athapaththu snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a clinical final over performance under pressure.
Bangladesh's collapse began with Rabeya Khan being trapped lbw on the first ball of the final over. What followed was a domino effect of nerves and poor running, with Nahida Akter run out on the next delivery, before caprtain Nigar Sultana — the backbone of the chase — was caught in the deep off the third. Marufa Akter then fell lbw on the fourth ball, completing a stunning implosion as Bangladesh were bowled out for 195.
The defeat will sting even more for Bangladesh given the valiant effort from Nigar Sultana, who anchored the innings with a composed 77 off 98 balls. Alongside opener Sharmin Akhter, who scored 64 before retiring hurt, Nigar looked poised to steer her side to victory after a rocky start to the chase.
"From the start it was our game. We batted really well, but the retired hurt made us lose momentum. And then we lost wickets at crucial stages. We've lost three games like this, it's heartbreaking. At some point or the other, we're falling away from plans," said Nigar after the match.
Earlier, Bangladesh had stumbled to 44 for 3 before the duo rebuilt with a solid partnership, bringing Bangladesh within touching distance of their first win of the tournament.
Even after Sharmin's unfortunate exit due to injury, Nigar continued unfazed, building another steady stand with young batter Shorna Akter. But once Shorna was dismissed for 19 and Ritu Moni fell for 7, the match began to tilt back toward Sri Lanka — a shift that would accelerate dramatically in the final over.
Sri Lanka, who were winless heading into the match, now breathe new life into their campaign thanks to a gritty performance with bat and ball. The standout was Hasini Perera, who anchored the first innings with a career-best 85 — her maiden international half-century.
Despite early trouble after losing Vishmi Gunaratne on the first ball of the match, Perera forged crucial partnerships and survived multiple dropped chances as she guided Sri Lanka to a competitive total of 202.
Sri Lanka's innings wobbled toward the end, losing seven wickets for 70 runs in the second half, but late cameos from the lower order ensured they batted out almost the full 50 overs.
It was fitting that Chamari Athapaththu, one of the most seasoned players in the tournament, took responsibility in the most crucial moment. Her final over heroics — claiming two wickets, a catch, and a run-out in four balls — turned what seemed a certain loss into a euphoric win.
This result kept Sri Lanka's faint hopes of a semi-final spot alive, while Bangladesh were left to rue missed chances, poor running, and a loss that ends their tournament hopes with a game to spare.
Source: HindustanTimes
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Manchester City delivered a deafening statement of intent to celebrate Pep Guardiola's landmark 1,000th match in management as Liverpool were dismissed out of hand at Etihad Stadium. City's 3-0 win carried an ominous warning for Premier League leaders Arsenal
3 months ago
