Women cricketers return after triumphant tour of SA and WC Qualifier

The Sri Lanka women’s cricket team on their arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday morning after a successful tour of South Africa and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE

Sri Lanka Women’s cricket Captain Chamari Athapaththu is met on arrival at the BIA by SLC Women’s Cricket Operations Consultant Manjula Kodithuwakku, Women’s cricket selector Rasanjana de Alwis and Women’s Cricket Operations Coordinator (Logistics) Indrani Ariyaratne 

• There was no denying the fact that we had a scare against UAE – Rumesh Ratnayake
•  “For the first time in my life I was under pressure whether playing or coaching”

Sri Lanka Women can breathe a sigh of relief that they managed to enter the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier and thereby gained qualification to play in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh along with Scotland.

Although Sri Lanka were the favourites to qualify as well as win the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier it was not easy as it may sound.

In the crucial semi-final match of the Qualifier, Sri Lanka went through some anxious moments against the host country United Arab Emirates (UAE) before managing to win by 15 runs.

“In that particular match the coach also was under pressure for the first time ever in my life whether playing or coaching,” said Sri Lanka Women’s Head Coach Rumesh Ratnayake. “The big picture was we were not qualified to play in the T20 World Cup if we had lost. That thought haunts you.”

Sri Lanka had arrived in the UAE with their tails up having defeated the hosts South Africa 2-1 in the three-match T20I series and drawn the ODI series 1-all.

“Even though we tried to ignore the fact that the match (v UAE) would have been the qualifying event for the World Cup, it was in the back of our minds,” said Ratnayake. “Everybody was nervous although we tried to subside it and say it was just another game and we backed ourselves and all that. Everybody knew if we had lost to UAE, we wouldn’t have been in the World Cup. All our good doings in the past would have sunken in and mounted to nothing.”

There was no denying the fact that there was quite a lot of tension in the Sri Lankan dugout during the match especially when UAE were chasing Sri Lanka’s total of 149-6 and were 104-2 in the 15th over with the UAE Captain Esha Oza in cracking form racing to 66 off 44 balls inclusive of four sixes.

“We were in fact 25 runs short. We spoke about it after the match because we were 82-1 in 12 overs and then we didn’t get that momentum going,” said Ratnayake. “When we analysed from the 9th to the 16th over, we had only one boundary which is uncharacteristic and cannot happen again. We had the wickets in hand, and we had to take that chance.”

Sri Lanka were let down by some sloppy catching on the field with Esha being dropped on three occasions. “Even though she gave three chances she looked one heck of a player. Her shots were very clean and those were off good balls most of the time. I can’t deny the fact that we had a scare. But once we got her wicket, the bowlers stood up and showed what they are capable of,” said Ratnayake.

“That was a poor fielding display by us, but it’s a work in progress. We have to go match by match and sort out ourselves, not a complete job. Even when we beat South Africa it wasn’t a complete game. That’s the encouragement I give the girls. Without having that full game, we are beating teams. So, what will happen when we have our full game? That’s the picture I am trying to give to the girls.”

“In the Qualifier final (against Scotland) the girls were very free. How should we fear when we do best? That is what we are going to take forward. It was a good experience. We know when we are the underdogs and under pressure what we should be doing. Overcoming that and how we can continue with our good form with a spirited effort like yesterday (Sunday). I saw that the body language of the girls was fantastic before batting.”

Ratnayake said the T20 World Cup Qualifier will give a big boost to the team ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

“It helped in the sense that we had a lot of games played on surfaces different from South Africa. We had to face opponents we had little information about. We would now know what we are up against if we are to play opponents of a level lower. I would say Scotland is on par with us. On their day they can beat us. They had a very comprehensive team. It’s just that when Chamari Athapaththu starts going, there is nobody to stop her. We have beaten them when Chamari has been soberly in form also.”

“Both Scotland and UAE are strong teams knocking on our door. It was a huge learning curve. We learnt how to adapt which we did not do well. Adapting to various types of bowlers because they are an unknown quantity. We had to adapt on that particular day with the little bit of information we had of them. But if you are playing the top teams, we know of them. You have their videos, and all that footage is there.”

(ST)