Athapaththu’s Stunning Century Leads Sri Lanka to ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Victory
In a thrilling final at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, led her team to a decisive 68-run victory over Scotland in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. Athapaththu’s remarkable century, her second in T20I career, was the highlight of the match.
Athapaththu’s spectacular 102 runs came off just 63 balls, including 13 boundaries and four sixes. This exceptional performance was complemented by Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who dominated the field, leaving Scotland struggling to keep up.
Scotland’s chances were dealt a blow when their captain, Kathryn Bryce, was ruled out of the final due to a muscle strain. Despite this setback, Bryce was named the Player of the Tournament for her impressive performance of 177 runs and nine wickets.
Scotland’s stand-in captain, Sarah Bryce, won the toss and elected to field first. However, Sri Lanka quickly took control, despite losing opener Vishmi Gunaratne in the third over and Harshita Madavi in the sixth. The match then swung in Sri Lanka’s favour thanks to Athapaththu’s brilliance and her partnership with Nilakshi De Silva.
After reaching her half-century in 40 balls, Athapaththu unleashed a series of stunning shots that left Scotland’s bowlers and fielders reeling. She reached her century in just 20 more balls and was eventually dismissed for an outstanding 102, ending a 106-run, fourth-wicket stand.
By the end of her innings, Athapaththu had become the tournament’s top run-scorer with 226 runs in six innings. Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 169/5, the second highest team total of the tournament.
Scotland struggled with the bat, losing their openers early on. Despite a 40-run partnership between Priyanaz Chatterji and Lorna Jack, the target was well beyond their reach, and they finished their 20-over quota at 101/7.
With this victory, Sri Lanka joins Australia, India, New Zealand, and Pakistan in Group A of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2024 as Qualifier 1. Scotland will feature in Group B alongside hosts Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies as Qualifier 2.
Match Summary:
Final: Sri Lanka beat UAE by 68 runs
Sri Lanka: 169 for 5, 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 102, Nilakshi De Silva 26 not out; Rachel Slater 2-35)
Scotland: 101 for 7, 20 overs (Priyanaz Chatterji 30, Rachel Slater 15 not out; Udeshika Prabodhani 3-13)
Player of the Match: Chamari Athapaththu
Player of the Tournament: Kathryn Bryce