“A fearless mindset is key” as Sri Lanka Women seek strong comeback against Australia
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lankan Skipper) /Alyssa Healy (Australian skipper)Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lankan Skipper) /Alyssa Healy (Australian skipper)
Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket team will meet defending champions Australia today in their T20 World Cup fixture at Sharjah Stadium at 3:30 PM (Sri Lanka time). After a disappointing loss to Pakistan in their first game, Sri Lanka’s batters are under pressure to deliver a stronger performance against a powerful Australian side.
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu and her team must regroup and play fearlessly, as Australia remain favorites to win the title for the seventh time.
Chamari gave credit to Pakistan for their strong win in the first match. Pakistan captain Fathima Sana played well, scoring 30 runs off 20 balls and helping limit Sri Lanka to 85 for 9 in their 20 overs.
“Pakistan deserved the win. We struggled to chase and need to adjust better to the conditions. The pitches are good for batting, and I believe we can do better in the match against Australia. We bowled well, but our batting needs improvement. We can’t blame the pitch; we just need to play positive cricket,” said Athapaththu.
For the Australia match, Athapaththu said they must play without fear. “Australia is a strong team, but if we play our best, we can beat anyone. We still have a good chance to move forward,” she added.
Chamari Athapaththu will need to take more responsibility in the game against Australia. Her and opener Vishmi Gunaratne, must build a solid start for Sri Lanka. Middle-order batters Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hashini Perera, and Kavisha Dilhari need to support their captain, while Nilakshika Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani will be key to building pressure later in the innings.
Sri Lanka bowlers did well against Pakistan. Chamari Athapaththu, Sugandhika Kumari, and Udeshika Probodani each took three wicket-hauls, the first time in a Women’s T20 World Cup match. Athapaththu also helped as a part-time off-spinner, and the spinners are ready to challenge Australia’s strong batting.
Australia, led by wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, has strong all-rounders like Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, and Alana King, with Megan Schutt as their key bowler. Their experience makes them a tough team to beat, and they’ll be looking to maintain a winning mindset. Australia knows Sri Lanka’s ability, especially after their wins over India and New Zealand, but the World Cup is a bigger test.
Dhammika Ratnaweera
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