In a thrilling showcase of cricketing excellence, Sri Lanka Women clinched a resounding 8-wicket triumph over England Women during the 2nd T20I of the Sri Lanka Women’s Tour of England 2023.
England, after being asked to bat first, faced a daunting challenge as they stepped onto the field. Their efforts in the allotted 18 overs resulted in a total of 104 runs, with all their wickets falling. The home side found a savior in Charlotte Dean, who contributed a valuable 34 runs to their cause.
The Sri Lankan bowlers displayed an impressive performance, with Inoshi Fernando and Udeshika Prabodhani each claiming 2 wickets. Their disciplined and tight bowling kept England from picking up the pace in their innings.
The standout performer of the day was undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu. Her batting prowess was a sight to behold as she scored a breathtaking 55 runs from just 31 balls, a remarkable innings that included 8 fours and 2 sixes.
Aside from Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama played a composed innings, contributing 30 runs, while Anushka Sanjeewani and Vishmi Rajapaksha provided crucial support. The Islanders comfortably reached the target with 8 wickets in hand and a substantial 6.4 overs to spare.
Athapaththu’s blend of aggression and control dismantled the English bowling attack and rightfully earned her the title of Player of the Match.
After England struggled against spinners and lost eight wickets during the second T20I, Heather acknowledged the need for her team to enhance their performance against spin bowlers as they prepare for the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2024.
Sri Lanka gave us a bit of humble pie: Heather Knight
In an interview with Sky Sports, England Women’s team captain Heather Knight reflected on her loss against Sri Lanka and talked about the lesser experience her side has in comparison to the Sri Lanka Women’s team, she said:
“We all had a bad day at the same time. It went wrong for pretty much everyone.”
“But we have a very inexperienced side, guys learning their trade. There will be no big inquiry about it.”
“We didn’t play well. Sri Lanka did and gave us a bit of humble pie. It’s a good lesson to the youngsters that if you are not on and not able to execute your skill how you want to, then you are going to get punished.”
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