Navi Mumbai: With their Women’s World Cup campaign in disarray, Sri Lanka will hope for some respite as they seek maiden win in the tournament when they take on another struggling outfit in Bangladesh, here on Monday.
Like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka have two points in their account but both of those were earned in washed out matches. Three defeats in five matches have kept the World Cup co-hosts on the penultimate spot in the eight-team competition.
Bangladesh have fared a tad better given their win against the bottom-placed Pakistan had helped them open their account in the points table, but despite running the other formidable teams such as South Africa and England close, they could not get over the line.
Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in a desperate situation of keeping their hopes alive of making the semifinals. It will also depend on other results to go their way if they win each of their remaining two matches.
None of the eight teams are out of the race for the semifinals yet, in which two spots have been booked by Australia and South Africa and there are three teams placed above — India, England and New Zealand — who have better chances of making the final four.
Sri Lanka would be particularly pleased moving out of the rain-hit Colombo where two of their matches were washed out, with incessant rains taking away any possibility of Chamari Athapaththu’s side using the home advantage as six of their seven matches were scheduled at the R Premadasa Stadium.
While there is no imminent rain threat here, the weather will remain hot and humid for the day-night match which will be DY Patil Stadium’s first of the four fixtures confirmed for this tournament including one semifinal.
However, the island nation’s team will have to return to Colombo for their final fixture against Pakistan hoping weather allows a full game, but then, even that would not be enough as Sri Lanka are now dependent on other results.
Sri Lanka will not only have to win their last two matches but also hope India lose each of their remaining three matches and wish for England’s win over New Zealand.
Similarly, Bangladesh would have to win their remaining two matches against Sri Lanka and India and hope England do them a favour by winning their remaining two matches against New Zealand and India.
Bangladesh would feel they are better-placed than Sri Lanka in terms of how they have performed across departments but still fielding is one area in which the Nigar Sultana-led side will have to make significant improvements.
Bangladesh will also look to emulate their batting show from the contest against South Africa in which they put 232 for six in the first half producing an all-round show, but eventually failed to defend the target.
They will also draw a lot of heart from having England on the mat in a low-scoring game, having reduced the opponent to 78/5 while chasing 179.
Coming off a 10-wicket hammering against South Africa in a rain-truncated game, Sri Lanka will have to pick themselves up and look to emulate their batting show which they had produced against New Zealand, piling up 258 for six.
