In what has been a pulsating game in the Women’s T20I Asia Cup, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu made history by becoming the first-ever cricketer to record a century in the esteemed tournament. The spectacular show happened in the match between Sri Lanka and Malaysia, wherein Chamari played an undefeated 119 off 69 balls. She displayed great skills in batting, with 14 boundaries and seven sixes to her name. She was awarded Player of the Match due to their amazing performance.
Chamari Athapaththu Record-Breaking Performance
Chamari Athapaththu made her the first centurion at a Women’s Asia Cup and set the record for the highest individual score in the history of the tournament. She also surpassed the previous record held by former Indian captain Mithali Raj, who scored an unbeaten 97 against Malaysia in 2018. Chamari’s innings underlined that she is capable of turning it on when needed and against top-class opposition.
It was Chamari’s explosive batting that took Sri Lanka to a strong total of 185 runs against Malaysia. The strike rate read a thrilling 172.46 and thus proved exactly how she was able to score freely and fast, almost taking her team into a dominating position. Performances like these not only boost the morale of the whole team but also give her some confidence, making her one of the main players in Sri Lanka’s journey to win this campaign.
Along with the spellbinding performance of Chamari Athapaththu, Harshitha Madavi and Anushka Sanjeewani’s 26 and 31 runs, respectively, only increased her cause. The partnerships between the three kept the momentum going and lifted Sri Lanka to an imposing total. Not all batsmen were quite as lucky in fortunes, and Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari contributed little towards the team total. That doesn’t act as a deterrent in establishing the fact that such an overall performance by the Sri Lankan team, after showing the depth of the team and the ability to perform as one unit.
Struggle of Malaysia
Malaysia struggled against the potent bowling attack of Sri Lanka during the chase and could only manage 37 runs before losing seven wickets in 15.3 overs. The game was a portrait of their difference in experience and skill, with disciplined bowling from Sri Lanka constraining Malaysia’s batting lineup.
The win over Malaysia adds to the strong start Sri Lanka has made in the Women’s Asia Cup, just following up their earlier win over Bangladesh by seven wickets. With this victory, Sri Lanka has carved out a more promising position in the tournament that appears all the more strong because of their superior Net Run Rate over other teams. The record-breaking Chamari innings set a positive tone for their campaign and instilled confidence in the team.
The team that lies ahead, with Sri Lanka’s next opposition in Thailand, is equally strong as it thrashed Malaysia. Victory here will take them one step ahead toward the playoffs, and the team will look to sustain that momentum taken from this encounter to stay in contention for a playoff berth. The attention will turn to consistency and adapting to different oppositions as the team goes through the competition.
This historic century by Chamari Athapaththu has not only highlighted her exceptional talent in the forefront but also put Sri Lanka in a very good position in the Women’s T20I Asia Cup. Thus, everybody’s focus will be on Sri Lanka, as they want to keep up this momentum and achieve further success on the international platform. This record-breaking inning played by Chamari will be remembered forever in the history of women’s cricket as one that inspired every woman who has a passion for cricket. She ensured a place in the record books among the finest cricketers from Sri Lanka.
