Gunaratne leads Sri Lanka to easy victory over Bangladesh
After Sri Lankan bowlers restricted Bangladesh women to a below-par score, Vishmi Gunaratne played a masterful knock to lead Sri Lanka to a comfortable 7-wicket win in their opening Group B Asia Cup fixture at Dambulla yesterday.
Gunaratne, 18, showcased her class with some beautiful strokes. Sri Lanka, chasing 112 to win, reached 114 with 2.5 overs to spare. She was ruthless with her batting, taking the bowlers to the cleaners.
She reached her third international half-century off just 43 balls, including seven boundaries and a six. She was eventually bowled out for 51 off 48 deliveries when she attempted to go big over cover off Nahida Akter.
Sri Lanka were 86 for 2 when Kavisha Dilhari joined Harshitha Samarawickrema, and they combined to take Sri Lanka within sight of victory. Samarawickrema, who was batting brilliantly on 33 off 31 balls, offered a simple catch with Sri Lanka needing just four runs to win. In her hurry to finish, she gave a return catch to Akter, who picked up her third wicket.
Bangladesh women, after electing to bat first, were in deep trouble as Sri Lanka women ripped through their top order to restrict them to 17 for 4 at the end of the power-play overs. However, skipper Nigar Sultana’s fighting unbeaten 48 and Shorna Akter’s quick-fire 25 took them to 111 for eight.
It was a brilliant effort by the host bowlers, led by left-arm seam bowler Udeshika Prabodhani and Inoshi Priyadharshani, as they picked up two wickets each in the power play to leave Bangladesh women reeling. Prabodhani took two wickets in consecutive balls in the opening over before Priyadharshani added to Bangladesh’s misery with her first in the next over. She came back in the sixth over to remove Ritu Moni with a brilliant one-handed take over her own bowling at the non-striker’s end.
Bangladesh reached 46 for 4 at the halfway mark before a 31-run stand between skipper Sultana and Akter brought some respectability to the score. Sultana, who remained unbeaten on 48, faced 59 balls and hit six boundaries, while Nahida Akter took the bowlers to the sword with a 14-ball 25, which included five boundaries. Sri Lanka will meet Malaysia on Monday.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh 111 for 8 (20) (Nigar Sultana 48n.o., Shorna Akter 25; Inoshi Priyadarshani 2/17, Udeshika Prabodhani 2/20)
114 for 3 (17.1) (Vishmi Gunaratne 51, Harshitha Samarawickrama 33; Nahida Akter 3/12)