Sri Lanka sign off Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup on high

 Sri Lanka celebrate their win against Australia

Player of the Match Limansa Thilakarathna 

•  Beat Australia by 12 runs

Sri Lanka signed off from the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup with an impressive 12-run victory over Australia at Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Australia had already qualified for the semi-finals ahead of Sri Lanka but were unable to carry their unbeaten record into the last four.

Chamudi Praboda led an impressive bowling attack that took regular wickets and refused to allow Australia to build any momentum in their chase of 100. With Australia requiring 20 from the final over, Sri Lanka held their nerve to seal a memorable victory.

Sri Lanka were also limited with the bat by a strong performance from Australia with the ball, as Lily Bassingthwaighte finished with figures of three for seven, but it proved too much to chase in Bangi.

Sri Lanka began steadily after opting to bat, with openers Sanjana Kavindi and Sumudu Nisansala sharing a partnership of 42 through the power play until Nisansala was caught in the deep off Tegan Williamson for 18. Kavindi then fell to Lily Bassingthwaighte for 19 and Manudi Nanayakkara was caught off Hasrat Gill to depart for 15, leaving Sri Lanka 77 for three.

Williamson struck again as Dahami Sanethma was stumped by Grace Lyons to depart for zero, with the Australian bowling attack refusing to let Sri Lanka accelerate with the bat.

A consistent fall of wickets was key to that, with Bassingthwaighte getting Rashmika Sewwandi caught behind for four and Gill dismissing Hiruni Hansika for 13. Bassingthwaighte then had Shashini Gimhani caught for two before Pramudi Methsara was run out in the same over to leave Sri Lanka 91 for eight. Limansa Thilakarathna and Aseni Thalagune dug in at the death for some crucial runs to set Australia 100 to win.

Australia made a stuttering start in response, with Chamudi Praboda dismissing Kate Pelle for one in the second over.

Ines McKeon was then dropped on three in the next over, but fell for 10 soon after when she was caught off Praboda for her second wicket. Captain Lucy Hamilton also went for 10 the following over when she was stumped off Pramudi Methsara, to leave Australia 23 for three.

Caoimhe Bray and Eleanor Larosa rebuilt and put on a partnership of 41 until Bray was caught in the deep on 27 off Limansa Thilakarathna.

Ella Briscoe was then run out for four after a mix up with Larosa, before the latter was out for 18 in the next over after clubbing an outside edge to Thilakarathna off Aseni Thalagune. Methsara then dismissed Hasrat Gill for two as Sri Lanka edged towards victory.

Australia required 20 from the final over, but Thalagune produced an excellent final over to offer no boundaries and take the wicket of Chloe Ainsworth with the final ball to cap the win with a flourish.

Limansa who won the Player of the Match award said, “I feel really great. I am really proud of our team. This is our last game and we put up a good fight. Our plan was to beat the Aussies with spin, but they put up a really good fight.”  

Australia now face South Africa for a place in the final on 31 January, before India take on England later on the same day.

• Scores: 

Sri Lanka Under-19 Women 99-8 (20) (Sanjana Kavindi 19, Sumudu Nisansala 18, Hasrat Gill 2/18, Lily Bassingthwaighte 3/7, Tegan Williamson 2/19)

Australia Under-19 Women 87-8 (20) (Caoimhe Bray 27, Chamodi Praboda 2/13, Pramudi Methsara 2/16, Aseni Thalagune 2/18)