Sri Lanka qualifies for 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup

 Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lanka Women’s Captain has been a central figure in their victories

Sri Lanka Women’s Head Coach Rumesh Ratnayake

Sri Lanka Women cricketers have gained automatic qualification after 16 years

• Sri Lanka gains direct qualification for first time since 2008
• To finish within the top six is quite phenomenal – Coach Ratnayake

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

When Sri Lanka’s women cricketers led by versatile all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu suffered a stunning 1-2 series defeat at the hands of Ireland four months ago in August, their chances of gaining automatic qualification for next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup seemed on the line.

The circumstances were such that although Sri Lanka occupied one of the two remaining automatic qualification spots, with New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh all having remaining matches, they needed a string of favourable results to avoid the long road to next year’s tournament.

Sri Lanka women’s Head Coach Rumesh Ratnayake described the loss to Ireland as a ‘big disappointment’.

“We should have at least another win there. We know how we lost and why we lost. There were two games which were in our hands but we just let it go. We should have done much better than what we did, which wouldn’t have put us into this position. We should have had 24 points instead of 22,” said Ratnayake.

“That was the time I felt that the tours were very close to each other. We envisaged that everything was too close for comfort. After the Asia Cup win we went straight away to Ireland. We won the first T20I but lost the second and then the two ODIs. That is when I thought when we are expected to win we crumbled. It continued in the T20 World Cup also. We played good cricket but we didn’t finish off with good cricket. That was what happened in Ireland and it was very disappointing.”

But following defeats by West Indies and New Zealand in their most recent league stage matches at the hands of India and Australia respectively, Sri Lanka have secured automatic qualification for the women’s mega tournament that will be hosted by India in August 2025.

“To finish within the first six is quite phenomenal,” was how Ratnayake described Sri Lanka’s automatic qualification. “To qualify for the main tournament without playing the qualifiers is a very creditable achievement and I am more than happy for the girls.”

“When there are six teams for a World Cup it is always challenging. That may have been the situation in the past 16 years. I am told that we have automatic qualification after 16 years.”

Sri Lanka who have finished their quota of matches for the league are currently placed fifth with New Zealand sixth. Ratnayake said that so far the ICC has not confirmed Sri Lanka’s position officially, but other results have ensured that their position in the table cannot drop below sixth.

The only competitors still with matches left in the Championship who could overtake New Zealand are Bangladesh and West Indies. However, following West Indies’ record-breaking defeat to India on 22 December, only one of those sides can overtake Sri Lanka. The sides who finish outside of the top six positions at the end of the league stage in January will have to go through the qualifier tournament to reach the World Cup.

Ratnayake said the turning point for Sri Lanka in the Championship was the tour to Sri Lanka by New Zealand. “New Zealand were the favourites, but the turning point was how we beat them coming from behind. We managed to win it virtually single-handed through Chamari (Athapaththu). She was instrumental in that win. There was also the record run chase scoring 302 against South Africa to level the series. Once again it was Chamari who won it for us. Beating West Indies 3-0 was another turning point. We felt that the West Indies was strong and they came after a very successful Pakistan tour. Everybody thought they were the favourites, but we beat them convincingly. If a team like New Zealand can miss out and if they look back, they might think that it is the Sri Lankan tour that made them not qualify.”

Undoubtedly, Athapaththu has been the key figure in Sri Lanka’s victories. She is the third highest run-getter in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 with 1088 runs (avg. 57.26) and an impressive strike rate of 105.01 with 4 centuries and 3 fifties. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (1234 runs, avg 64.94, st rate 82.65) and India’s Smriti Mandhana (1105 runs, avg 58.15, st rate 89.76) are the only other batters who have topped the 1000-run mark in the Championship.

The five countries who have automatically qualified so far are: Australia, India, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

SRI LANKA WOMEN CRICKETERS PATH TO WC QUALIFICATION

Lost to Pakistan 1-2

Lost to India 0-3

Beat Bangladesh 1-0 (2 NR)

Beat New Zealand 2-1

Lost to England 0-2 (1 NR)

Drew with South Africa 1-1 (1 NR)

Beat West Indies 3-0

Lost to Ireland 1-2