Chamari strikes form and Sri Lanka win

Saturday, 15 March 2025 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Athapaththu is congratulated by Polly Inglis of New Zealand after the win

Take 1-0 lead in 3-match WT20I series

Malki Madara won the Player of the Match award on her WT20I debut

Sri Lanka’s women cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu regained her lost form hitting an undefeated 64 off 48 balls inclusive of 9 fours and 2 sixes to steer her side to an emphatic seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first WT20I played at Christchurch yesterday.

Sri Lanka were left to chase a relatively small target of 102 after dismissing New Zealand for 101. Athapaththu took charge of the pursuit from the beginning with Sri Lanka racing to 46-0 in the first power play with her share being 35 inclusive of 7 fours.

Although she lost Vishmi Gunaratne for 7, in-form Harshitha Samarawickrama for 2 and Kavisha Dilhari run out for 12, there was never any doubt of Sri Lanka faltering in their chase as long as Athapaththu was controlling the game in the middle.

Left-arm pace Bree Illing who had dismissed Athapaththu twice cheaply in the WODI series was at the receiving end of the Lankan captain’s broad bat going for 31 overs in 3 overs including 17 in one over.

Earlier 24-year-old left-arm seamer Malki Madara making her WT20I debut wrecked the New Zealand batting taking 3/14 to win the Player of the Match award. She received good support from spinners Inoshi Priyadharshani and Kavisha Dilhari who shared four wickets between them. Malki was a late replacement for experienced left-armer Udeshika Prabodhani who was injured.

Sri Lanka take a 1-0 lead with this win in the three-match WT20I series. The second match takes place at the same venue on Sunday.

Scores: New Zealand Women 101 (18.5) (Suzie Bates 21, Emma McLeod 44, Inoshi Priyadharshani 2/25, Malki Madara 3/14, Kavisha Dilhari 2/18)

Sri Lanka Women 102-3 (14.1) (Chamari Athapaththu 64*, Jess Kerr 2/18)

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