Sri Lanka batters squander chances of a winning start against Pakistan in T20 World Cup opener. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Sri Lanka’s women made a inauspicious start to their T20 World Cup campaign as their batting failed handing Pakistan a 31 run victory in Sharjah.
Touted a challenger to the top runners to win the tournament but drawn to play in the “Group of death”, Chamari Athapaththu’s Asia Cup champions made a spirited start by dismissing Pakistan for 116. But their batters, including skipper Athapaththu folded in inexplicable fashion to lose 9 for 85 on a slow tricky wicket, ending with a disappointing result.
Athapaththu’s failure triggered a procession as regular contributors Vishmi Gunaratne 20, Harshita Samarawickrema and Kavisha Dilhari fell cheaply. Only two batters made double figures.
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After success in England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, and clinching the Asia Cup beating India in the final, Sri Lanka built their hopes on taking it up to the best.
But their turnaround in Ireland before the World Cup signalled a change in fortunes underlined in the narrow 33 run win over Bangladesh and a 5 wicket win over Scotland in the warm up games that showed less intensity in their current campaign.
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Pakistan’s shock triumph gave them revenge for their semi final loss in the Asia Cup in Colombo and projects them as a dark horse to upset favourites Australia and India as the tournament progresses.
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Sri Lanka’s chances of progressing to the important stage took a backward step with this loss, as they are also grouped with the favourites Australia and India apart from the unpredictable New Zealand. At their best they can still get there. But their chances look slim with the Pakistan reversal.
Batting first, Pakistan struggled against Sri Lanka’s opening attack as Sukandika Kumari and Udeshika Prabodhani combined with skipper Athapaththu claiming three wickets each to set their batters a winnable target. Only two Pakistan batters reached double figures.
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But Pakistan fought back and made early inroads through Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, the former who removed the dangerous Athapaththu to contain the normally free scoring SriLanka batters and boost their hopes making the semi finals.
At 5 for 52 in the 13th over, Sri Lanka never looked like reaching what earlier looked a gettable target.
Earlier, Bangladesh made short work of Scotland in the opening game of the World Cup.
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