Samarawickrama's composed knock seals Sri Lanka's semi-final berth

Harshitha Samarawickrama's splendid 48 not out off 37 balls took Sri Lanka over the line in a low-scoring Asia Cup match against Bangladesh that became quite thrilling. The defending champions secured a semi-final berth with their four-wicket win, and by virtue of topping Group B, will play the side that finishes second in Group A on Friday.

An excellent opening spell of 2 for 17 from Marufa Akter put Bangladesh in control of the match after they posted a below-par target of 115, which in turn was thanks to Chamudi Praboda's career-best figures of 3 for 21.

Sri Lanka found themselves behind the required run rate for much of the chase after losing their top order inside the powerplay and slipping to five down by the tenth over. But a resolute Samarawickrama brought Sri Lanka back into the contest by absorbing the pressure throughout the middle overs before landing the final punches to seal the win. This was Sri Lanka's seventh consecutive win over Bangladesh.

This was only the sixth international match 17-year-old left-arm spinner Praboda was playing after making her debut against Pakistan in a three-match T20I series last month, and she doubled her tally of wickets.

As Bangladesh looked to rebuild after Juairiya Ferdous fell in the fifth over, Praboda struck in her first over, the seventh of the match, to send the dangerous-looking Dilara Akter back two balls after being hit for a boundary by the same batter. Dilara made a run-a-ball 26 after adjusting to the slow surface quickly. She made her attacking intent known in the third over itself when she dispatched three consecutive balls from quick bowler Chethana Vimukthi for boundaries.

Praboda and the other Sri Lankan spinners bowled with great discipline and used their variations with guile to put a stranglehold on the Bangladesh batters after that.

With Sobhana Mostary (34 in 41) and Shorna Akter (9 in 14) stretching their steady 41-run stand into the death overs, the Bangladesh dugout must have anticipated a much bigger total than what they eventually managed. Their hopes were bulldozed by Praboda in her last over as she accounted for both the batters inside three balls. The left-arm spinner fooled Mostary with flight to have her stumped before drawing Shorna into chipping a tossed-up delivery back to her.

Nilakshi Silva and Vimukthi dropped sitters off Chamari Athapaththu's bowling, with the former putting down top-scorer Mostary in the 14th over. Athapaththu eventually got a wicket in her last over, but missed out on a second when on-field umpire Humaira Farah turned down a caught-behind appeal off the last ball of her spell.

During the chase, her stay at the crease lasted only two balls as Fahima Khatun took a sharp catch at first slip when she advanced down the pitch to Marufa.

Bangladesh needed early wickets to make a contest of what many expected to be a cakewalk for Sri Lanka, with the required rate below a run-a-ball at the start. Marufa delivered exactly what was needed, accounting for both Sri Lanka openers.

After getting rid of Athapaththu in the first over, she bowled a jaffa in her next, rattling Imesha Dulani's stumps with one that ripped through the gate. Her three powerplay overs yielded 2 for 17.

Sri Lanka's middle order crumbled under pressure as Sanjana Kavindi was bowled by Sultana Khatun off the last ball of the powerplay. They were soon five down for 44 in the tenth over, but a gutsy 38-run stand between Samarawickrama and Nilakshika brought them back into the contest.

Desperate for a breakthrough, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana returned to her trump card in the 17th over, and Marufa obliged with a perfect over to shift the momentum back in her side's favour. She bowled Nilakshika and conceded only four runs to finish with career-best T20I figures of 3 for 21. It was the fourth time in her 48-match T20I career that she had taken three wickets.

Ritu Moni had been immaculate in her first three overs, but Samarawickrama plundered 16 runs off her last over - the most conceded in an over in the match - to swing the game in Sri Lanka's favour again.

A lucky inside edge off the second ball raced to the fine-leg boundary as Moni followed Samarawickrama after she backed away to make room on the off side. The next ball landed straight into the advertising cushion at midwicket as the batter swept the medium pacer for six. She then danced down the wicket to launch Nahida Akter for a towering six down the ground, reducing the equation to two off the final over.

The win came off the second ball of the final over, with the ball trickling past the keeper after brushing her pad.