Bangladesh women lose Commonwealth spot

Bangladesh women’s cricket team failed to earn a spot in the 2022 Commonwealth Games as they lost to Sri Lanka in the deciding match of the qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a superb all-round effort to help Sri Lanka secure victory by 22 runs and win the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifiers 2022 at the Kinrara Oval.

The last match of the five-team tournament was the decider for the final qualifying spot, saw Athapaththu score 48 runs to propel Sri Lanka to 136 for six before returning figures of three for 17 to restrict Bangladesh to 114 for five.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sri Lanka were kept quiet early on, but Athapaththu had different ideas. She took on the Bangladesh bowlers with her sweeps and kept the scoreboard ticking.

After her wicket, Nilakshi de Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani helped Sri Lanka reach 136 for six.

In reply, Bangladesh lost Shamima Sultana early but opener Murshida Khatun continued her fine form.

However, Sri Lanka’s spin quartet of Athapaththu, Inoka Ranaweera, Sachini Nisansala, and Kavisha Dilhari stopped Bangladesh from scoring a single boundary in the next six overs.

At one point, Bangladesh required 66 off 48 balls for victory, but even with a dropped catch that went for four and a no-ball from Athapaththu, they failed.