Sizzling Athapaththu steers Sri Lanka to the top of T20 World Cup qualifiers. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Chamari Athapaththu spearheaded Sri Lanka’s empathic qualification to the Women’s T20 World Cup with another blistering century against Scotland in the final of the qualifiers.
The enigmatic Sri Lankan superstar who is enjoying a purple patch over the past year smashed a quick- fire 102 off 63 balls to give the Lankans a commanding total of 169 for 5 in their allotment spraying the hapless Scottish attack to all parts.
She hit 4 sixers and 13 fours in another astonishing performance. Sri Lanka then restricted Scotland for 101 for 7 in their quota for a comprehensive victory. Udeshika Prabodhani returned miserly figures of for 13 in her four overs to ensure victory.
Athapaththu was fittingly named ICC’S one-day Cricketer for 2023 adding to a string of achievements and accolades over the past year upto now.
Sri Lanka earlier, comprehensively accounted for Thailand, Uganda, Scotland and USA before meeting Scotland in the final and making short work of the result thanks to their in form skipper. They beat Scotland ans UAE twice to stamp their authority on the tournament including the final.
Sri Lanka now enter the top stage at the world cup and their recent form surge will have a few in the upper rung worried when the come up against them.
Series wins over England in England, New Zealand on New Zealand and South Africa in South Africa has made the world sit up and take notice.
While Athapaththu has been the architect of much of that success, her peers have rallied to lift their own game. The new mindset, credited to Coach Rumesh Ratnayake and his able team, gives the Lankan women an opportunity of being feared much like India who are second to none in the Asian region.
Sri Lanka now need to knock off Australia and India to send ripples through the women’s game.
On current form, and as long as Athapaththu shelves plans for retirement, there’s every chance they can climb to the summit of that mountain.
