Manodara helps Sri Lanka beat Pakistan for first win

• Sri Lanka avoids wooden spoon with tense win; Pakistan ends World Cup campaign without a win after being bowled out for 206 in chase of 222

Dilani Manodara hit her highest ODI score on the way to helping Sri Lanka end its ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 campaign on a high with an entertaining 15-run victory over Pakistan at Grace Road, Leicester.

Without a victory between them all competition, both teams went into the game unable to progress to the semi-finals but there was still pride at stake and it proved to be a thriller.

Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka celebrates catching  Ayesha Zafar of Pakistan during the ICC Womens World Cup 2017 match between Pakistan and Sri-Lanka

Manodara recorded her second ODI half-century of the competition, top-scoring for her team with 84, as Sri Lanka posted 221 for seven from its 50 overs.

Despite Syeda Nain Fatima Abidi’s entertaining 57, Pakistan faltered in the middle overs and came up short as Sri Lanka’s Chandima Gunaratne finished with four for 41.

Sri Lanka captain Inoka Ranaweera said: “This is the first victory for us at the competition, we are very happy to beat Pakistan.

“We made a plan yesterday, we stuck to it and we won the match because of that.We want to thank the ICC and everyone who has made our stay in England so enjoyable.” 

Pakistan captain Mir said:  “Our batters have been under pressure throughout the tournament but they put up a fight. Mostly we are not able to finish matches when we get on top as we give away wickets at crucial times and that happened again today.

“We are very disappointed. But in life, these things happen but you have to bounce back.We will learn from their tournament and the younger players will come back stronger.”

Scores in brief:

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 15 runs at Grace Road, Leicester

Sri Lanka 221-7 in 50 overs (DilaniManodara 84, EshaniLokusooriya 28, ChamariAthapaththu 27; Diana Baig 3-41)

Pakistan 206 all out in 46.4 overs (Syeda Nain Fatima Abidi 57, Amavia Iqbal Khokhar 38 not out; Chandima Gunaratne 4-41, AmaKanchana 2-31)

Player of the match – Chandima Gunaratne (Sri Lanka)