Athapaththu, Samarawickrama to play in Women’s Caribbean Premier League

Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu on their way to the Caribbean

Two of Sri Lanka’s top order batters, skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama will play in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League 2024.

The two players figured prominently in Sri Lanka’s eight-wicket win against Ireland in the third and final WODI at Dublin each making 48 apiece.

Athapaththu who has played in leagues all around the world will represent Barbados Royals and Samarawickrama who gets her first big break in franchise cricket will appear for Trinbago Knight Riders. She replaces injured Meg Lanning.

Samarawickrama comes at a time when her stocks are rising. She was the Player of the Final with an unbeaten 69 off 51 balls in Sri Lanka’s maiden title win at Women’s Asia Cup 2024 which was followed by back-to-back fifties in the T20I series against Ireland before becoming the third woman to hit an ODI century for Sri Lanka with her 105 against the same opponents. Overall, she has 1463 runs in 65 T20Is at a strike rate of 99.72.

The league got under way on Thursday with the final scheduled for 30 August.