Bowlers guide Sri Lanka to an easy victory

• Even Khadija Tul Kubra’s three wickets couldn’t help Bangladesh after they were bowled out for 63 in their Asia Cup clash

Disciplined bowling powered Sri Lanka Women to an easy six-wicket win in their opening Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2018 clash against Bangladesh Women at Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. 

Sugandika Kumari (3/17), Udeshika Prabodhani (2/6), Oshadi Ranasinghe (2/10) and Inoka Ranaweera (2/15) starred with the ball as Sri Lanka skittled out their opponents for 63. They then took 14.3 overs to complete the chase.  

Sent in to bat, Bangladesh lost their first wicket on the second ball. Prabodhani, the Sri Lanka pacer, had Shamima Sultana, the opener, trapped in front for nought. 

Fargana Hoque followed her back in the next over, before Ayasha Rahman and Rumana Ahmed steadied the innings somewhat. 

Shashikala Siriwardene accounted for Rahman, who fell after top-scoring for her side with a 27-ball 11, and wickets tumbled at an alarming rate after that. Bangladesh slipped from 35/2 to 37/5 in no time. 

Ranaweera and Ranasinghe ran through the middle order, as Bangladesh were bundled out in 19.3 overs. 

In reply, openers Yasoda Mendis and Nipuni Hansika were steady for Sri Lanka. They added 39 for the first wicket before Khadija Tul Kubra, the right-arm spinner, castled Mendis for 20. 

Anushka Sanjeewani was ran out by Nahida Akter for just 2, Kubra had Hansika leg before wicket for 23 and Hasini Perera bowled for 6 in consecutive overs, but without many runs on the board, even the mini-collapse couldn’t help Bangladesh. 

Rebeca Vandort and Nilakshi de Silva knocked off the remaining runs without any fuss. 

Kubra finished with figures of 3/13.