In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, Sri Lanka secured a commanding 8-wicket victory against England in the 2nd T20I of the Sri Lanka Women Tour of England 2023. The County Ground in Chelmsford witnessed a thrilling encounter that saw Sri Lanka level the series.
England Women’s Struggles:
England, having been asked to bat first, found themselves facing a challenging task. They managed to muster a total of 104 runs for the loss of all their wickets in their allotted 18 overs. Charlotte Dean was the lone warrior for the home side, contributing a valuable 34 runs to the cause.
Bowling Brilliance:
The Sri Lankan bowlers put up an impressive performance, with Inoshi Fernando and Udeshika Prabodhani both claiming 2 wickets each. Their tight and disciplined bowling restricted England’s ability to accelerate their innings.
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Chamari Athapaththu Shines:
The star of the day was undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu. who showcased her immense batting skills, scoring a breathtaking 55 runs off just 31 balls, an innings studded with 8 fours and 2 sixes.
Apart from Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama played a steady hand, scoring 30 runs, while Anushka Sanjeewani and Vishmi Rajapaksha provided crucial support. The Islanders reached the target with 8 wickets in hand and 6.4 overs to spare.
Athapaththu’s aggressive yet controlled approach dismantled the English bowling attack and ultimately earned her the well-deserved Player of the Match accolade.
“We’ve had a bad day, we’ve lost a game of cricket. There’s not going to be a big inquiry about it. We haven’t played well and Sri Lanka have given us a bit of humble pie,” said England captain Heather Knight after the game.
