Sri Lanka Women’s team Captain Chamari Athapaththu took charge as Sri Lanka’s women’s team achieved a historic milestone, securing their maiden series victory against England in any format of the game.
In a historic series, Sri Lanka achieved a thrilling 2-1 triumph, sealing a resounding seven-wicket victory over Heather Knight’s England side in the third T20I. Athapaththu, predictably, was the star of the show, as reported by ICC.
Athapaththu played a key role, both with the ball and the bat. She took three key wickets, helping to shred England’s squad, reducing them to just 116 runs. Her batting was brilliant, with an excellent 44 off a scant 28 deliveries, ensuring Sri Lanka comfortably chased down the goal with three overs to spare.
Unquestionably, Athapaththu’s exceptional all-round performance earned her the well-deserved accolades of Player of the Match and Player of the Series. Throughout the three matches, the Sri Lanka captain amassed 114 runs and secured five key wickets.
While Chamari Athapaththu justifiably earned most of the praise, it’s vital to acknowledge the combined effort of her colleagues in the series decider. Sri Lanka’s bowlers contributed their bit, with Inoshi Priyadharshani (1/15) having a huge impression by dismissing Danni Wyatt with the very first ball of the match. Udeshika Prabodhani (2/16) and Kavisha Dilhari (2/16) both contributed with two wickets each, ultimately bundling out the hosts in the penultimate over.
Athapaththu set the tone early in Sri Lanka’s comeback, sustaining their dominance. Harshitha Samarawickrama (26*) offered strong support, steadying the ship after the captain’s absence in the seventh over, ultimately guiding the visitors to a comfortable victory.
“We played a youngish team but that’s no excuse. We felt like we had enough on the park to be successful but we’ve been a little bit off, it’s fair to admit that.”
“We haven’t quite been at our best and we’ve been punished by Sri Lanka,” said England captain Heather Knight.
With this T20I series closed up, both teams are now gearing up for a three-game ODI series, with the first match due to begin at Chester-le-Street on Saturday.
