Sri Lanka’s dramatic chase
Sri Lanka secured a three-wicket victory over Scotland in a closely contested match at Old Trafford, keeping their Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final aspirations alive. Chasing a target of 152 runs, Sri Lanka reached 154-7 with one ball remaining, concluding a dramatic encounter.
The chase began strongly for Sri Lanka, who raced to 65-2 within the first six overs. Chamari Athapaththu was particularly aggressive, scoring 18 runs off a single over bowled by Gabriella Fontenla. Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama also contributed with boundaries against Katherine Fraser‘s bowling.
However, Athapaththu’s dismissal for a quick 33 runs from 16 balls, bowled by Fraser, marked a shift in momentum. Sri Lanka then experienced a collapse, falling from 57-1 to 78-4, and later to 118-6. Captain Kathryn Bryce took two crucial wickets, removing Perera and Samarawickrama. Fraser also trapped Hansima Karunaratne lbw, while Kirstie Gordon accounted for Kavisha Dilhari, leaving Sri Lanka needing 34 runs from the final five overs with four wickets in hand.
The match culminated in a chaotic finish. Kaushani Nuthyangana hit consecutive boundaries off Rachel Slater but was then caught by Ailsa Lister at mid-off. In the penultimate over, Nilakshi de Silva was dropped by Fontenla. With three runs required from three balls, Slater sustained an 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 briskly, reaching 21-0 after two overs, largely due to early boundaries from Darcey Carter. However, the scoring rate slowed after Nilakshi de Silva took a diving catch at mid-off to dismiss Fraser towards the end of the powerplay.
Scotland faced difficulties against Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy attack, reaching 100-3 after 15 overs. Despite this, they managed a late surge in runs, primarily driven by Sarah Bryce, who remained unbeaten with 47 runs from 33 balls. Bryce formed a 53-run partnership off 32 balls with Lister for the fourth wicket, adding crucial runs in the death overs.
Key bowling figures for Sri Lanka included Ayodhya, who took 2-34. For Scotland, Fraser claimed 2-25. The match saw several moments of intense play, with both teams demonstrating periods of strong performance and vulnerability.
Implications for semi-final qualification
This victory moves Sri Lanka into third place in their group, marking their third win of the tournament. To advance to their first Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final, Sri Lanka now depends on other results. They require West Indies to suffer a significant loss against Ireland and New Zealand to lose to England in matches scheduled for Saturday. These outcomes would allow Sri Lanka to progress from Group 2 based on net run-rate.
The match was played in Manchester, with Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu leading her team to a vital win to maintain their presence in the competition. The toss was won by Sri Lanka, who chose to bowl first.
During Scotland’s innings, Darcey Carter looked positive, finding boundaries, though she also struggled with consistent strike rotation. At one point, Kavisha Dilhari took a fantastic return catch to dismiss Kathryn Bryce, leaving Scotland at 66/2. Sarah Bryce replaced her older sister Kathryn at the crease.
The match saw various tactical plays, including Chamari Athapaththu bringing herself into the attack after a drinks break to apply pressure through spin in the middle overs. Scotland finished their powerplay at 45/1.
The final score for Scotland was 151-6 in 20 overs, with Sarah Bryce scoring 47 not out from 33 balls. Sri Lanka chased down the target of 152, scoring 154-7 in 19.5 overs.
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Source: bbc.com
