Sri Lanka went down by 42 runs to a resurgent West Indies, thereby losing their 5th game of the Women’s World Cup and effectively ending their hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Coming into the game, both teams were winless after having lost all three of their group games thus far. After a stirring performance chasing against India, the Lankans decided to have a bowl once again.
The West Indians got off to a good start however with Hayley Mathews looking dangerous in the middle. However, a fine spell of bowling by medium pacer Sripali Weerakkody stemmed the flow of runs as she picked up the prized scalps of Mathews and skipper Stephanie Taylor in the 1st ten overs.
Sri Lanka kept picking up wickets throughout the innings and were able to keep most of the batters in check during the game. Deandra Dottin looked ominous at the crease, smashing 38 off 25 balls but was caught plumb in front playing a sweep of Inoka Ranaweera.
In the end, the difference between the teams turned out to be the innings of former Windies’ skipper Merissa Aguilleira, who played a brilliant innings of 46, partnering with the lower order to take West Indies to a competitive total of 229.
Weerakkody was the pick of the bowlers once again, claiming 3/38 while Ranaweera and Ama Kanchana picked up 2 wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a poor start as both openers Nipuni Hansika and Hasini Perera were dismissed within the 1st 10 overs as Sri Lanka crawled to 36/2.
Hope still remained despite the for the Lankans despite the run rate being below the 4 runs an over mark as long as Chamari Atapattu and Shashikala Siriwardene remained at the crease. The pair put on 61 for the 3rd wicket but those runs came at a snail’s pace – in nearly 19 overs.
Atapattu fell to Anisa Mohammed and Dilani Manodara, who made a half century in the previous game, was dismissed with the very next ball as Sri Lanka stumbled in their chase. Mohammed then picked up Siriwardene for 33 and from that point onwards things never got going for the Lankans as they slumped to 182 all out in 48 overs.
Mohammed was the key bowler for the Windies as she was able to dismiss Sri Lanka’s top 3 batters.
With the win West Indies’ slim hopes of qualifying for the semis remained while Sri Lanka will have to look to some consolation as they face South Africa and Pakistan in their final two games of the tournament.
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