Sri Lanka’s dramatic chase
Sri Lanka achieved a three-wicket victory over Scotland at Old Trafford, keeping their aspirations alive for a spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals. Chasing a target of 152 runs, Sri Lanka managed to cross the finish line with just one ball remaining in a closely contested match.
The chase began strongly for Sri Lanka, with openers Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama contributing to a rapid start. Athapaththu, in particular, was aggressive, scoring 33 runs from 16 balls, including taking 18 runs off Gabriella Fontenla’s lone over. Hasini Perera also contributed to the early momentum, with both Perera and Samarawickrama finding boundaries against Katherine Fraser’s bowling.
However, Athapaththu’s dismissal, bowled by Fraser in the final over of the powerplay, marked a shift in momentum. Sri Lanka, which had reached 57-1, then experienced a collapse, falling to 78-4 and later 118-6. Captain Kathryn Bryce took two crucial wickets, removing Perera and Samarawickrama. Fraser also trapped Hansima Karunaratne lbw, and Kirstie Gordon accounted for Kavisha Dilhari, leaving Sri Lanka needing 34 runs from the last five overs with four wickets in hand.
The match concluded with a chaotic finish. Kaushani Nuthyangana hit consecutive boundaries off Rachel Slater before being caught. In the penultimate over, Nilakshi de Silva was dropped by Fontenla. With three runs needed from three balls, Slater left the field due to injury and was replaced by Priyanaz Chatterji. Sugandika Dasanayaka ultimately secured the win for Sri Lanka by hitting a four off the penultimate ball of the innings.
Scotland’s innings and key performances
Earlier in the match, Scotland, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, posted a total of 151-6 in their 20 overs. Their innings also started with a brisk pace, reaching 21-0 after two overs, largely due to early boundaries from Darcey Carter. However, the flow of runs slowed down after Nilakshi de Silva took a diving catch to dismiss Fraser during the powerplay.
Scotland faced challenges against Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy bowling attack, reaching 100-3 after 15 overs. Despite this, they managed a late surge in scoring. Sarah Bryce played a significant role, remaining unbeaten with 47 runs from 33 balls. She formed a 53-run partnership off 32 balls with Ailsa Lister for the fourth wicket, helping Scotland set a competitive total.
During the middle overs of Scotland’s innings, Kavisha Dilhari claimed a notable wicket, dismissing Kathryn Bryce with a caught and bowled effort. Sarah Bryce then replaced her older sister Kathryn at the crease. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, including Ayodhya, who took 2-34, were instrumental in restricting Scotland’s scoring opportunities for periods of the game.
Tournament implications
This victory places Sri Lanka in third position in Group 2, marking their third win of the tournament. For Sri Lanka to advance to the semi-finals, they require specific outcomes in upcoming matches. They need West Indies to suffer a significant loss against Ireland, and New Zealand to lose to England on Saturday. These results would allow Sri Lanka to progress based on net run-rate.
The match was played at Old Trafford in Manchester, with Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu leading her team to a crucial win to maintain their presence in the competition.
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Source: bbc.com
