The stage was set at Bristol on Tuesday, for the 20th match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu ensured it would be a day etched in the history books. In a breathtaking display of dominance, Sri Lanka Women secured a commanding nine-wicket victory over Ireland Women in their crucial Group 2 clash. Chasing a modest target of 131, the Sri Lankan side dismantled the Irish defense with 27 balls to spare, largely thanks to an absolute masterclass from their fearless skipper.
Sri Lanka bowling attack restricts Ireland to a low score
Ireland Women struggled to find their rhythm early on, facing a relentless and highly disciplined Sri Lankan bowling unit. The chaos began immediately in the powerplay. Amy Hunter was dismissed without facing a ball, run out in the very first over. Just a few deliveries later, Orla Prendergast was sharply stumped for a duck off the bowling of Sugandika Kumari. When Rebecca Stokell was dismissed for 13 off the bowling of Mithali Ayodhya, Ireland found themselves reeling at 19 for 3, finishing their mandatory powerplay at a sluggish 30 for 3.
Recognizing the dire situation, Irish captain Gaby Lewis launched a vital rescue mission. Lewis anchored the innings with a gritty, hard-fought 59 off 50 deliveries, striking eight boundaries and a six. She meticulously rebuilt the innings, forming a crucial 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Leah Paul, who contributed a steady 20 off 27 balls. After Paul fell in the 14th over, a late flourish from Alice Tector, who blasted an unbeaten 28 off just 21 balls at a strike rate of 133.33, pushed Ireland to a defendable 130 for 5 at the end of their 20 overs. However, the Sri Lankan bowlers never truly let the game slip. Mithali Ayodhya was the standout performer with the ball, conceding just 18 runs in her four overs, while Kumari, Athapaththu, and Nilakshika Silva maintained tight economic pressure with a wicket each.
Chamari Athapaththu’s statement-making century helps Sri Lanka register a convincing win against Ireland
Needing 131 for victory, Sri Lanka’s chase quickly transformed into a spectacular one-woman show. Athapaththu walked out to the crease with clear intent, taking the attack to the Irish bowlers right from the start. Sri Lanka cruised to 55 for no loss at the end of their powerplay, effectively putting the game out of Ireland’s reach early on.
While her opening partner, Imesha Dulani, played a sensible supporting role, grinding out 20 runs off 27 balls, Athapaththu was in an unapologetically destructive mood. The duo stitched together a commanding 98-run partnership for the first wicket. Athapaththu raced to her half-century in just 30 balls, punishing anything loose. By the time Prendergast finally broke the opening stand by bowling Dulani in the 12th over, Sri Lanka required less than 40 runs.
The Sri Lankan captain refused to slow down, bringing up a phenomenal, unbeaten 106 off a mere 61 deliveries. Boasting a staggering strike rate of 173.77, she peppered the boundaries with 17 fours and cleared the ropes with two massive sixes. Nilakshika de Silva joined her briefly, remaining unbeaten on 4, as Sri Lanka comfortably crossed the finish line at 134 for 1 in just 15.3 overs.
Unsurprisingly, Athapaththu was crowned Player of the Match, for her century and her earlier crucial bowling spell. With this statement knock, Athapaththu has firmly put the rest of the teams in the tournament on notice.
A thumping win for Sri Lanka, by nine wickets and with 27 balls to spare 👏#SLvIRE #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/K0HpfWgSTJ
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) June 24, 2026
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
