or Dedunu there was no gold at the end

A 94 ball knock of 74 with 12 boundaries and a six by Sri Lanka opener Dedunu Silva was in vain as it could not prevent Sri Lanka Women’s from losing to their Indian counterparts by 29 runs in a Women’s Asia Cup encounter played at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday.

The Lankan ladies chasing a target of 228 lost two quick wickets after openers Dedunu Silva and Chamari Polgampola had given them a fair start putting on 43. A 51 run stand for the third wicket between Dedunu and skipper Shashikala Siriwardena enabled the local side to reach the 100 run mark but they had surpassed the halfway stage of the innings.

From there on the run rate for the Sri Lankans kept on increasing and there was no significant partnership that could have taken them close to victory. They lost wickets at regular intervals, from a healthy position of 132 for 4 the Lankans were bowled out for 198 losing their last seven wickets for the addition of 66 runs.

Earlier in the day Indian skipper Mithali Raj winning the toss decided to take first lease of the wicket. The right and left arm bowling of Sri Lankan skipper Shashikala Siriwardena who ended with figures of 3 for 54 and Suvini de Alwis 3 for 36 combined well to restrict the strong opposition and defending champs to 227 for 8.

The Indian side was given a resounding start by openers Karuna Jain and Jaya Sharma who together put on 62 in 96 balls before the former was clean bowled by skipper Shashikala. Five runs later Shashikala dealt another blow to the Indians when she got rid of the other opener. A brief stand of 31 runs for the third wicket between skipper Mithali and Rumeli Dhar came to a halt when spinner Suvini held on to a catch off her own bowling as the Indians were struggling on 98 for 3 at the halfway stage of the innings.

It was another 62 runs for the fourth wicket between skipper Mithali and Priyanka Roy that gave the Indians some respectability. The dismissal of the skipper for a well compiled 54 in 63 balls saw them losing wickets at regular intervals. Only a sixth wicket partnership of 30 runs between Priyanka Roy and Thirush Kamini helped them reach the 200 run mark before being restricted to 227.
India Women 227 for 8 in 50 overs (Mithali Raj 54, Priyanka Roy 44, Karuna Jain 29, Jaya Sharma 27, Devikar Palhikar 22 n.o.; Suvini de Alwis 3 for 36, Shashikala Siriwardena 3 for 54)

Sri Lanka Women 198 in 49.5 overs (Dedunu Silva 74, Suvini de Alwis 25, Shashikala Siriwardena 24, Chamani Seneviratne 28 n.o.; Rumeli Dhar 3 for 28, Pujare Seema 3 for 41, Neetu David 2 for 35)

Skipper Khatun steers Bangladesh

Bangladesh Women’s team skipper Salma Khatun with an unbeaten knock of 53 steered her side to a historic four wicket win over Pakistan in another match of the same tournament played at the Welagedera Stadium in Kurunegala yesterday.

Salma’s unbeaten knock made in 92 balls consisted of six boundaries. This was Bangladesh’s first win over an ODI team and it was also their first participation in an Asia Cup tournament. Earlier Pakistan were shot out for a paltry 134 with right arm off spinner Tithy Sarkar who finished with impressive figures of 4 for 25 doing the damage with support coming from skipper Salma and Shathira Jakir who shared four wickets between them.

Bangladesh in their run chase underwent some anxious moments and were struggling at 63 for 4 at the end of the 25th over. Skipper Salma took the game under her control, though losing her partners at the other end she held on to steer the Bangladeshis to an historic win with 27 balls to spare.

Pakistan Women 134 in 47.4 overs (Bismah Maroof 29, Sana Mir 25, Sajjida Shah 21; Tithy Sarkar 4 for 25, Salma Khatun 2 for 18, Shathira Jakir 2 for 34) Bangladesh Women 136 for 6 in 45.3 overs (Chamely Khutan 15, Salma Khatun 53 n.o.; Sajjida Shah 2 for 19).

For Dedunu there was no gold at the end