Samarawickrama steers Sri Lanka home as defending champions seal semi-final
Sri Lanka Women edged past Bangladesh Women by four wickets with four balls remaining in a tense Group B encounter of the Women’s Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. The defending champions chased down a modest target of 115, finishing at 115 for six in 19.2 overs, and in doing so secured top spot in their group with a perfect record. Harshitha Samarawickrama’s composed unbeaten 48 off 37 balls proved the difference on a surface that offered something for the bowlers throughout.
Bangladesh were sent in after Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and chose to field. The decision looked sound early on as the Sri Lankan attack, led by the young left-arm spinner Chamudi Praboda, kept a tight lid on the scoring. Bangladesh began brightly enough. Openers Dilara Akter and Juairiya Ferdous put on 31 in the first five overs. Ferdous looked particularly aggressive, striking three boundaries in her 14 off 10 balls before Sugandika Kumari removed her, the catch taken by Kavisha Dilhari.
Dilara continued to play positively and reached 26 off 26 with four fours, but Praboda struck in the seventh over, having her caught by Chethana Vimukthi. At 44 for two Bangladesh still had a platform, yet the middle order struggled to build on it. Captain Nigar Sultana managed only four before she was trapped leg-before by Dilhari. Sobhana Mostary then became the mainstay, grinding out 34 off 41 balls with four boundaries. She and Shorna Akter added some stability, taking the score past 90, but Praboda returned to the attack and delivered a decisive spell. In the space of a few deliveries she stumped Mostary and then claimed Shorna caught and bowled, finishing with career-best figures of three for 21 from her four overs. The 17-year-old, playing only her sixth international match, mixed flight and drift cleverly and never allowed the batters to settle.
The lower order could add little of substance. Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun and Marufa Akter came and went cheaply. Bangladesh closed on 114 for eight. Sugandika Kumari supported Praboda well with two for 22, while the rest of the attack bowled with discipline. It was a below-par total on paper, yet the pitch had shown signs of assisting spin and the night conditions promised some movement under lights.
Sri Lanka’s chase began in chaotic fashion. Marufa Akter, bowling with genuine pace and accuracy, produced an excellent new-ball spell. She removed Athapaththu for a single in the first over, the captain caught at midwicket by Fahima Khatun. Two overs later she bowled Imesha Dulani for 12. Sanjana Kavindi and Vishmi Gunaratne both fell in single figures, the latter caught off Ritu Moni. When Kavisha Dilhari was run out for three, Sri Lanka found themselves in serious trouble at 44 for five after 9.3 overs. The required rate was climbing and Bangladesh’s fielders were sensing a major upset.
Samarawickrama walked out to a precarious situation and immediately set about rebuilding. She played the percentages, rotating the strike and punishing the occasional loose ball. Nilakshika Silva provided solid support with 18 off 23 balls, the pair adding 40 runs for the sixth wicket. Silva’s dismissal, bowled by Marufa who finished with three for 21, brought wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana to the crease. By then Samarawickrama had found her timing. She began to open up, driving and lofting with increasing confidence.
The equation tightened as the innings entered its final phase. Sri Lanka needed around a run a ball with wickets in hand, yet the pressure of a knockout-style group match was evident. Samarawickrama responded with calm aggression. In the 18th over she took on Ritu Moni, striking a four and a six that swung the momentum firmly back towards her side. The 19th over, bowled by Nahida Akter, saw Samarawickrama clear the long-on boundary once more. That six reduced the requirement dramatically. With eight needed off the last over, Nuthyangana and Samarawickrama kept their cool. A couple of singles and a well-placed boundary saw Sri Lanka home with four balls to spare. Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on 48, her innings containing four fours and two sixes, and she was deservedly named player of the match.
The victory completed a clean sweep of the group stage for Sri Lanka. They had earlier beaten the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia with relative ease, and this hard-fought win against Bangladesh confirmed their status as the team to beat. By topping Group B they earned the right to face the second-placed side from Group A in the semi-final later this week. For Bangladesh the defeat was a setback, yet their tournament is not over. They still have a final group fixture against the UAE and will hope to secure a semi-final place through the remaining results.
What stood out most was the contrast in approach between the two sides. Bangladesh’s batting never quite found a consistent gear after the early promise. Mostary’s 34 was a valuable contribution on a tricky surface, but the lack of support around her meant the total never looked threatening. Sri Lanka, by contrast, absorbed the early pressure and relied on one player of quality to see them through. Samarawickrama’s ability to pace the chase under pressure, accelerating at the right moments, was the hallmark of an experienced campaigner. Her partnership with Silva steadied the ship, and the finishing touches with Nuthyangana showed clear thinking under lights.
Praboda’s bowling performance also deserves special mention. At just 17 she displayed maturity beyond her years, varying her pace and trajectory to keep the Bangladesh batters guessing. Her three wickets broke the back of the opposition innings and ensured the target remained within reach. Marufa Akter, for her part, bowled with fire and accuracy throughout, taking three wickets of her own and nearly dragging her team over the line. On another night her efforts might have been enough.
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium once again provided a competitive venue. The pitch offered enough assistance for the spinners while still allowing batters who applied themselves the chance to score freely. Night conditions added a layer of difficulty, with the ball occasionally gripping or skidding on. Both captains managed their resources carefully, and the umpiring standards remained high throughout a contest that lasted the full distance.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will take confidence from the character shown in this chase. Coming from 44 for five to win with balls to spare is the sort of performance that builds belief within a squad. Athapaththu will be pleased with the depth of her bowling attack and the calmness displayed by the middle and lower order. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will reflect on a batting effort that promised more than it delivered. Their bowling unit, led by Marufa and supported by the experienced spinners, remains a strength, and they will look to put that to better use in their remaining fixtures.
This match also highlighted the growing competitiveness of women’s cricket across Asia. Both sides fielded young players who performed under pressure, and the standard of fielding and death bowling was high. Praboda’s emergence is particularly exciting for Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh continue to produce talented seamers capable of troubling the best batters.
In the end it was Samarawickrama who wrote the headline. Her unbeaten knock was not the most explosive of the tournament, but it was perfectly judged. She absorbed the early pressure, kept the scoreboard moving, and then struck the decisive blows when the game was on the line. That ability to control a chase is what separates good players from match-winners. Sri Lanka now turn their attention to the semi-finals with momentum on their side. Bangladesh will regroup and fight for another chance to progress. For those who watched under the Dubai lights, the evening offered a reminder of how tightly contested these contests can become when both sides refuse to yield.
The Women’s Asia Cup continues to deliver drama and quality. This particular group match may not have produced a high-scoring thriller, yet it contained enough twists to keep spectators engaged until the final overs. Sri Lanka’s four-wicket victory, completed with four balls remaining, was a fair reflection of their overall superiority across the group stage, while Bangladesh can take pride in a fighting performance that pushed the defending champions all the way. The semi-finals await, and both teams will hope to refine their games further before the next challenge arrives.
