Sri Lanka women’s crowning moment of glory as they grab the Asia Cup. Fantastic captain marvellous Chamari Athapaththu leads from the front.
BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.
(eLanka Sports Editor)
Sri Lanka’s women cricketers dared to dream, and then proved that dreams do come true as they sensationally grabbed the Asia Cup from a previously dominant India.
For a country that is dealing with much economically, and struggling to raise its head, a little ray of sunshine swept across the Island nation putting everything else on hold as Chamari Athapaththu and her team jubilantly held aloft the prestigious Asian women’s cricketing plum.
Rangiri Dambulla stadium will be remembered with nostalgia as the venue for a cricketing heist, as Sri Lanka’s women defied all logic to turn tables on Asia’s proven best team, second only to Australia in the world game.
Set an imposing target of 165 for victory, Sri Lanka survived an early hiccup losing promising teenager Vishmi Gunaratne with the total on 7 in the second over.
But Chamari Athapaththu joined Harshitha Samarawickrema and waded into the Indian attack backed by a raucous home crowd, plundering runs at will, as they raced after the target in cavalier fashion.
Athapaththu smashed 61 off 43 to with 9 fours and 2 sixers but was dismissed in the 12th over exposing the rest to see them home. Together with Samarawickrema, they added 90 for the second wicket.
Harshitha Samarawickrema 69 off 51 balls, with 2 sixes and 6 fours, picked up the baton from where she left off joining Kavisha Dilhari, 30 off 16 balls, and together they breezed to the target with eight balls to spare showing the faith bestowed on them was fully justified.
A shell shocked Indian team were left in tatters at the spirited Sri Lankan reply.
Reports indicate close to pandemonium enveloping the country in jubilation as a nation stopped to celebrate a famous win.
There’s been a definite shift in mindset of this team over the recent past under Head coach Rumesh Ratnayake, Nishantha de Silva and his coaching team who have shifted them several gears into believing they are the real deal if they backed themselves.
That expectation has now manifested into reality, and the rest of the world now know they have got another contender for the next World Cup.
Of course the driving force behind that success has undoubtedly been superstar skipper Chamari Athapaththu who steered the ship with dexterity. She is now reached icon status in a country struggling for recognition in a game they love. It has not been forthcoming during a period where they were rated lowly and were not taken seriously.
Occasion always spurs the Sri Lankan skipper, and it didn’t get better than taking the extra step of the mountain they attempted to conqure before but have fallen before the last step, especially to their nemesis, India.
That image has quickly dissipated now as the world recognise another threat. Athapaththu’s gladiators now need to maintain their focus.
Driven by a frenetic crowd of local supporters that packed the stadium to cheer on their heroes, Sri Lanka lifted to pull of a sensational 8- wicket win sending the country delirious.
Celebrations broke out all around the country and will undoubtedly continue for some time to come as Sri Lanka’s women brought glory to the country and restored some much needed pride since their last conquest in 2014 when the men won the T20 World Cup.
India batted first with openers Shafali Verma, 16 0ff 19 balls and Smirti Mandhana 60 off 47 balls in control.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers chipped away but could not peg back the established Indian batting as they went on to post 165 for 6. Jemima Rodriguez 29 off 16 balls and Richa Ghosh 30 off 14 helped swell the total to what seemed defendable.
But they reckoned without the Sri Lankan onslaught.
Chamari Athapaththu was fittingly awarded player-of -the -series while Samarawickrema was named Player-of-the-match.
