“I believe we are quite prepared for tomorrow’s [Monday] match, especially in the mind and in tactical areas,” added Ratnayake, who claimed 76 wickets in 70 ODIs
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu (right) during SL’s practice session at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Sunday. Pics/Atul Kamble
Co-hosts Sri Lanka are still awaiting their maiden win at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup after five games. The Chamari Athapaththu-led side will be hoping to break this drought in the must-win clash against Bangladesh at the DY Patil Stadium on Monday.
Considering the importance of the game, as both teams still have a chance to make it to the last four, it is likely to be a close encounter. Former SL pacer Rumesh Ratnayake, now head coach of the women’s team, described the red-soil pitch as “a nice Mumbai wicket; we used to call it a good Bombay wicket in our time.” The surface is known to offer some bounce as well as spin, while even the batters will have their say.
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday
“Our focus will be to win this match [vs Bangladesh] first and then the next match. Whether mathematically it will turn in our favour, I don’t know at this stage,” Ratnayake said at the pre-match press conference on Sunday when mid-day asked him if he was still hopeful of Sri Lanka making it to the last four.
Ratnayake wants his most experienced batter, Athapaththu, who has scored 122 runs in four games, to shine. “I believe we are quite prepared for tomorrow’s [Monday] match, especially in the mind and in tactical areas,” added Ratnayake, who claimed 76 wickets in 70 ODIs.
Unlike the Lankans, Bangladesh have registered a solitary win in the tournament — a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in Colombo. However, they suffered four straight defeats in their next four games.
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